


No Rest for the Weary

by Peach_Bitters (peachybitters)



Series: Anakin and Obi-Wan [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Adventure, AgriCorps (Star Wars), Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Bonding, Canon Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everybody Cries, Force Nexus (Star Wars), Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Hurt/Comfort, Illness, Jedi, Jedi Meditation, Jedi as Found Family (Star Wars), Jedi family, Jedi mysticism, Master & Padawan Relationship(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi is Trying, Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Padawan Braids, Parental Obi-Wan, Past Torture, Platonic Cuddling, The Force, i will add more tags, jedi lineage, lightsaber forms, past trauma, push-feather, strange creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 61,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25403968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachybitters/pseuds/Peach_Bitters
Summary: Needing a break from life at the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, visit a Jedi AgriCorps settlement on the Midrim planet of Helia. There they encounter new friends, new enemies and have new adventures, all while attempting to navigate their sometimes turbulent relationship as Master and Padawan.*completed*
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Series: Anakin and Obi-Wan [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864819
Comments: 165
Kudos: 161





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This picks up shortly after my story "Joyride."

_ I’ve got to get off this planet ,  _ Obi-Wan thought, walking into the familiar stillness of the Jedi Temple. He quickly took a sharp right turn to avoid running into a small group of Jedi coming his way. They might not have stopped him, or they might not have given him more than a passing nod, but you never knew. 

After the day he’d had, all he wanted to do was get back to his own quarters and not have to think about anything for a blessed few minutes. He’d just returned from the Senate and his day had been nothing but listening to accusations of treaty violations, accusations of bribery, accusations of inciting violence. And then there were the politicians practically hanging on his robe and begging him to visit one system or another and sort out all their problems- as soon as possible, please- as if solving interplanetary crises were as simple as waving his hands. All of this was nothing particularly out of the ordinary, but things had just begun to get under his skin more and more lately. Even a Jedi could get worn down, eventually.

“Obi-Wan.”

He turned, coming face to face with Mace Windu, who had seemingly materialized out of nowhere. He had a habit of doing that. Come to think of it, most of the senior Council members did.

“Master Windu.”

“How was the Senate? Do you think there’s any weight to Senator Neeleet’s claims?”

“It’s probable. I’d recommend sending a task force to be sure.”

Mace nodded, walking with Obi-Wan toward the lifts. “Can I put you in charge of getting that together?”

Obi-Wan hesitated. One did not generally turn down Master Windu when he asked a favor, and he wasn’t accustomed to doing so. Just the same, he couldn't make himself sound cheerful about it. “I won’t say no if you insist…”

“What’s on your mind?” Windu asked, always a man to get to the point.

“Well, to be frank, I have been thinking about asking the Council for a sabbatical. I’m not sure how long it’s been since I’ve had one. At least five years. Before I took on Anakin.”

To his surprise, Mace smiled widely - a rare sight indeed. “Now that’s something I thought I’d never hear. Master Obi-Wan asking for a vacation. Well, if anyone’s earned one, it’s you.”

“Not a vacation exactly, Master. Well, I do hope to relax. But I need some time to reconnect with my padawan. He’s been a little unruly lately, to be honest, and I’m concerned for him.”

Mace looked grave. “I’ve heard he’s made a habit of taking our speeders out for some late night joyrides.”

“You’ve found out about that, have you?” Obi-Wan sighed.

Mace nodded. “He does need more than the Temple can offer him now, but I fear he’s not yet mature enough for many official duties. Yes, you should go. You have the Council’s blessing.”

Obi-Wan bowed his head slightly. “Thank you, Master Windu. I will send you my notes on -”

The turbolift doors opened then and Anakin Skywalker flew out, nearly tripping but catching himself and continuing at a frantic pace.

“Hi, Master. Gotta go, sorry,” he said as he passed, sprinting down the corridor.

Mace Windu pursed his lips in mild disapproval and gave Obi-Wan a hard look. “Take that boy somewhere and keep him busy for a while. Very busy.”

“I think I know just the place,” Obi-Wan said.

_ 3 days later _

Obi-Wan entered his quarters to find Anakin already there, sitting in the middle of the room with what looked to be a half empty box of cookies on his lap.

“Hello, Master.” Anakin followed Obi-Wan’s gaze to the box. “Oh...these were by the door when I came in. I thought you wouldn't mind if I had them. They’re namana cookies from the Bakuran senator. You hate namana, right?”

“That’s fine, you can have them,” Obi-Wan said, taking a seat across from Anakin and looking distastefully at the box. The boy was right; namana was among one of his least favorite foods. He found it sickly sweet, and the way it coated one’s mouth was disgusting. The Bakurans were fiercely proud of their number one export, considered a fine delicacy - even slightly addictive- by many. Obi-Wan had once, on a long ago mission to Bakura with his master, been made to endure an obscene amount of namana in all its accursed forms - candy, cakes, and drinks. Raw and cooked. He’d nearly been sick a few times. As far as he’d been concerned, the namana had been a worse part of that mission than the insurgents trying to blast him.

Anakin beamed at him. “ThanksI I was starving! In sparring class we-”

Obi-Wan cut him off before his padawan could launch into a play-by-play account of his lightsaber class. “Later Anakin. I called you in here because we’re going to be going offworld tomorrow -”

“A mission!” Anakin exclaimed.

“Please do not spray crumbs at me,” Obi-Wan sighed. The smell of namana was already turning his stomach slightly.

Anakin swallowed and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Sorry. A mission,” he said more quietly.

“Not exactly. But I thought a change of scenery and routine would do us both some good. You’re familiar with the AgriCorps aren’t you?”

Anakin frowned. “AgriCorps? Where they send the kids no one wants?”

“That is an uncharitable interpretation,” Obi-Wan admonished. “Not every youngling trained in the Temple is meant for knighthood. But they are still members of the Order, and valuable ones.”

“Okay, well, still..they get sent to be farmers,” Anakin said, nodding. 

“Yes, anyway,” Obi-Wan continued. “There’s an AgriCorps training and resource facility on Helia. It’s also used by Jedi as a retreat center. Qui-Gon and I made several visits when I was a padawan. It’s a beautiful place.”

Anakin looked less than enthused. “How long are we going to stay for?”

“Two months or so,” Obi-Wan said. “Summer just began there, so we’ll stay through the end of the season, at least.”

“What are we going to do there?” Anakin stuffed another cookie in his mouth.

“You’ll be keeping up with your studies,” Obi-Wan said. “We’ll also be assisting on the farm, and I expect there will be time for recreation also.”

“Great,” Anakin said flatly. “Like what, tipping banthas?”

Obi-Wan smiled. “I think you’ll enjoy it more than you think.”

“If you say so, Master.” Anakin thought for a moment. “They don’t have pod racing there, do they?”

“They don’t, and thank heavens for that.” Obi-Wan reached over and took the box of cookies out of Anakin’s hands. “You’ve had enough of these, I think. Now, tell me about your lightsaber class.”

  
  



	2. Arrival

_ Safe Haven is one of the older Jedi AgriCorps settlements, having been originally founded as a school for Jedi younglings. The academy was closed in 1204 CA, however the school building still functions as a part-time educational facility and has one of the largest archives in the sector. _

Anakin stopped reading and put his data pad down as Obi-Wan stopped in front of the open door of the cabin and peered in.

“Is it time?” He asked his master.

“We’re about to exit hyperspace. Come to the cockpit?” Obi-Wan asked. He looked almost excited. As excited as he ever looked, at least.

Anakin put down his datapad and hopped off the bunk where he’d been laying. Together they walked the short corridor of the supply ship to the cockpit, where the pilot, and older Dug, greeted them. “You’re just in time. You ready?”

“Yes, sir,” Anakin said brightly, grabbing onto one of the seats behind the captain’s chair. 

The Dug pushed a few buttons and pulled down on the lever, and the blue cloudiness of hyperspace gave way to a thousand stars streaking past. Anakin smiled at the familiar and pleasant flip in his stomach at the sensation. It felt good to be travelling again. He’d been planet bound for too long. Even if they were going somewhere boring, Obi-Wan was right. It was good to get away.

The dusky green orb of Helia hung in front of them. Up above it, small but bright like paint splashed against the blackness of space, Anakin recognized the Utegeu Nebula. He took the scene in for a moment before looking at Obi-Wan. 

“I just read there used to be a school where we’re going, but they closed it.”

“Yes, over fifty years ago. It was very small, at the end. Qui-Gon was there for a couple years, actually, before it was closed and they moved the younglings to the Temple.”

“Why’d it close?” Anakin asked.

“The Council of First Knowledge closed all the offworld schools,” Obi-Wan said. “I suppose they thought a more centralized approach was better. There was too much opportunity for competing philosophies and rivalries.” He smiled. “Of course, Qui-Gon was always miffed about that. He thought there should be more room for healthy debate among the Jedi.”

Anakin nodded. He wasn’t sure what he thought about all that, but he liked the idea of Jedi schools spread out around the Galaxy, instead of everyone crammed together inside the stuffy Temple all the time.

The ship descended into the bright atmosphere of Helia. Anakin studied the landscape. It was varied, rather mountainous and dotted with trees. A large river wound through plains and small canyons, and small lakes studded the land, shining like mirrors in the afternoon light.

“Well, it’s way different than Coruscant anyway,” he shrugged.

The ship came to land in the port on the banks of the wide river, which looked to serve both spacecraft and boats, being both busy with pilots and fishermen. There were also a good deal of more wealthy looking people in a wide variety of styles from different worlds.

“People come from all over the Midrim for holidays,” Obi-Wan said, picking up on Anakin’s gaze. “There’s more than a few posh resorts on the south bank of the river, and in the mountains. Lots of hunting. Gambling too.” He didn’t look pleased about that. “The laws here have become a bit lax, I’ve heard. Attracts some unsavory types.”

“Sounds like a good time to me,” said the pilot. “Well, the ramp’s down now. Have fun, kids. Don’t get into any trouble.” He gave a wheezing cackle at his own wit.

Anakin ran to his cabin to grab his bag and then nearly ran down the ramp. Obi-Wan placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “Don’t forget the bins. And there’s no need to run.”

“Oh yeah.” Anakin walked briskly to the cargo hold and grabbed one of the bins of the supplies from the Temple they were supposed to deliver; holo projectors and some other various audiovisual equipment. Obi-Wan grabbed another and they walked down the ship’s ramp. Anakin took a breath of warm, somewhat spicy air. It smelled like woodsmoke and ship’s exhaust, the combination of which wasn’t entirely unpleasant. There was something homey about it.

“Our Jedi visitors!”

Anakin put his bin down and looked up to see a woman approaching. She was small and delicate looking, with pale blue skin and dark brown short hair. She was dressed in typical Jedi attire, a long grey tunic and brown robe which looked rather billowy on her small frame. An olive-skinned boy about Anakin’s age lagged behind her, a sulky expression on his face. He looked a little less like a Jedi in his simple short-sleeved white work shirt and brown trousers. What was unmistakably a lightsaber hilt hung from his left side, the only clue as to his allegiance in the wide Galaxy. 

The Jedi lady beamed at both of them. “You must be Master Obi-Wan and Anakin. Welcome!”

Without a pause or any sort of self consciousness, she took hold of Obi-Wan’s shoulders and delivered a kiss to each of his cheeks. She had to stand on her tiptoes to do so. Anakin tried to unsuccessfully suppress a snort of laughter. She looked like a Jedi all right, but this was hardly a traditional Jedi greeting. He looked over at the boy, who merely looked annoyed and didn’t meet his gaze.

If Obi-Wan felt embarrassed, he didn’t show it. He didn’t look happy though, either. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met before.”

“I’m Coral,” said the woman cheerfully. She gestured toward the boy. “This is Eraan Halfson. We’re both permanent residents of Safe Haven.”

She turned to Anakin and pulled him into a hug. “I’m so happy you’ve come to stay with us.”

Anakin felt himself flush, but in a nice sort of way. This was not the greeting he’d expected.

Coral let Anakin go and turned to Eraan, apparently remembering Jedi formalities. “Eraan, there is a Jedi Knight with us,” she said gently.

Eraan gave Obi-Wan something like a smirk and a curt nod. Such a response would have been called into question at the Temple, and indeed Anakin had been called out for less, but if Coral thought badly of her companion she didn’t show it. Obi-Wan looked perfectly neutral.

Coral gestured toward the bins. “These must be the projectors we asked for.”

“Yes, and a few other things,” Obi-Wan said.

Eraan spoke at last. “Oh, hooray. More second-hand equipment from the Temple. How generous of them to give us their leftovers.”

“Eraan,” said Coral, now sounding slightly uneasy.

“Well, I just hope these ones actually work.” The boy hefted a bin and started walking toward the exit, clearly expecting the others to follow.

Anakin had started to feel awkward. He picked up the other bin and walked after Eraan. “If they don’t, I’m sure I can get them running. I’m good with fixing things.”

“Okay,” Eraan said flatly, not looking at him.

The three Jedi followed Eraan to a banged up looking cargo speeder parked on one of the spaceport’s wide streets. After loading in the equipment, Anakin and Eraan got into the backseat while Coral and Obi-Wan took the front.

“We’ve been busy lately,” said Coral pulling the speeder out into the street. “You’re the third group of Temple visitors we’ve had in four months.”

“I keep saying we should start charging,” Eraan said. He opened a knapsack and pulled out a datapad and switched it on. “Force knows we could use the money,” he muttered under his breath.

“I hope our visit isn’t too much trouble,” Obi-Wan said. 

“Oh no!” Coral exclaimed. “Director Declan was ecstatic you’re coming. He misses your master fiercely. Brings him up all the time.”

Anakin jerked up his head at the mention of Qui-Gon. “They were friends?”

“Oh, yes,” said Obi-Wan. “That’s why he visited when he could.”

The road to the farm was long and flat. Coral chatted about crop yields, a new barn, and how they needed to hire more farmhands before the harvest. Eraan stayed silent, not looking up from his reading. Anakin glanced over at the boy, curious. How had he come to be sent here, instead of being chosen as a padawan? Was it just because of his attitude alone (it seemed bad enough), or was he simply lousy with the Force, and was resentful? No matter..the answers would reveal themselves sooner or later.

It was late afternoon when the speeder pulled into the long winding road that led to the farm compound. Anakin gazed out over the fields. Nothing particularly special, he knew, but the landscape was so bright and vibrant compared to the steely, hard and grey megacity of Coruscant he’d grown accustomed to. Moisture vaporators dotted the fields. Seeing them gave them a strange feeling, not nostalgia for Tatooine itself exactly, but for the people there he’d left behind.

“You have moisture vaporators,” he remarked. “But it must rain here.”

“Oh, certainly,” Coral said. “But it’s arid here almost half the year and vaporators are cheaper and easier than other forms of irrigation. We demonstrate their use for training purposes, also, for the members farming in desert environments.”

“Helia is an excellent training center for the AgriCorps because of the variation of seasons,” Obi-Wan said.

“Yes, we can grow a wide variety of crops.” Coral pulled the speeder into a small garage. “Eraan, can you take the new equipment to library storage while I show Master Obi-Wan and Anakin their rooms?”

“Anakin can help,” Obi-Wan said at once.

“Would you like that, Anakin?” Coral asked. “Then perhaps Eraan can show you the farm until dinner.”

Anakin wasn’t terribly sure if he’d like that, and wasn’t used to being asked by adults if he’d like to do a task or not. All the same, he knew what the expected answer was. “Yes, I’d be glad to.”

Coral smiled warmly. “Excellent. We’ll see you at dinner, then. You’ll hear the bell.”

Anakin nodded and watched Obi-Wan and Coral head out of the garage toward a large stone building.

“Well, come on,” Eraan said shortly, lifting one of the bins out of the back of the speeder. Anakin grabbed the other and they started walking.

“How long have you been here?” Anakin asked.

“A while. What do you care?” Eraan said.

Anakin shrugged. There were a few padawans at the Temple who weren’t too friendly, but most of them at least made an effort, even if few of them wanted to actually be friends. This one was something else. Clearly he’d never learned any manners. That must have been why he’d been sent here.

“I didn’t know AgriCorps Jedi carried lightsabers,” Anakin said.

Eraan looked over at him sharply. “I got my crystal on Ilum the same as anyone. I built my lightsaber without anyone’s help. Just because I’m not a Temple Jedi, you think I’m not worthy?”

“I didn’t say that,” Anakin said irritably. “You are touchy though, no wonder you couldn’t make it as a pad- hey!”

Eraan had dropped his bin on the ground and lunged at Anakin, shoving him roughly. Anakin dropped his bin as well, and glared at the other boy. “Someone should teach you some respect.”

“Who? You? My padawan superior?” Eraan said, coming at him again.

This time Anakin side-stepped quickly and Eraan stumbled but caught himself and lunged at him again. Anakin grabbed hold of the boy’s shirt and threw him down. A kind of wicked feeling of satisfaction filled his chest. He wanted more. Eraan sprung up and moved toward Anakin again, his hands raised and balled into fists. He swung, a bit clumsily, and Anakin caught his arm and twisted it behind the boy’s back.

“Is this what you wanted?” He asked calmly.

“You - Kriff!” Cursed the boy, trying to hook his leg around Anakin’s to trip him.

“That’s not nice,” Anakin said. He shoved Eraan face down into the ground, kneeling on his back to pin him. “Eat dirt, farm boy.”

The next thing he knew, he was being hoisted up to his feet by the back of his tunic and spun around to face a large and burley middle aged man in Jedi robes.

“My, my, what are we so worked up about?”

Before Anakin could answer, he saw Obi-Wan and Coral approaching from the other side. Anakin wondered how much of the fight his master had seen. Judging from the distressed expression on Coral’s face, they had both probably seen a good bit of it.

“I see you’ve met Director Declan Moss,” Obi-Wan said dryly. 

Declan looked over Anakin’s head and smiled. “Obi-Wan, good to see you.” He grabbed the Jedi’s hand and pulled him into a one armed hug with the other arm. “Yes, and you must be Anakin.” He reached his hand out to the boy, who shook it a bit warily.

“Now, what’s going on between you boys?” Declan demanded, looking from one to the other. Eraan had gotten to his feet and was wiping the grass off his clothes.

“He started it,” Anakin said. “He started shoving me. So I...retaliated.”

He could feel a wave of disapproval from Obi-Wan through the Force, and pointedly chose not to look at his master.

Declan frowned at Eraan. “That true? You start this trouble?”

Eraan looked down at the ground and shrugged and Declan made a motion of pained helplessness toward Obi-Wan. “Do you see what I have to put up with?” He turned back toward his charge. “I think we have some energy to burn off. Eraan, start running laps around the admin building.”

“How many?” Eraan muttered.

“Til I tell you to stop, that’s how many!” Declan answered. “Any other questions?”

Eraan shook his head and took off.

“Go with him, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin made a face, but wasn’t about to start arguing in front of Declan and Coral. Besides, all things considered, a run didn’t really sound that bad after the journey here. He jogged off to catch up with Eraan, trying not to think about the earful he’d probably get from Obi-Wan the next time they were alone.


	3. A Chat

Obi-Wan watched Anakin run off to join Eraan. Normally he would have taken his padawan aside to talk to him after a display like that, but Declan was probably right. Tensions were high and a run might help even out the boys’ tempers. Besides, he wasn’t really feeling up to dealing with Anakin now, knowing that surely a discussion would entail going around in frustrating circles over who started what.

“Should we get these to storage?” He asked Declan, indicating the forgotten bins on the ground.

Declan waved his hand impatiently. “Nah.” He called toward two Jedi coming toward them down a path. “Kenji and Tika, can you give us a hand with these? We need them in archive storage.”

Having seen the equipment into safe custody, Declan clapped his hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “Cup of tea?”

“Sounds fantastic,”Obi-Wan agreed.

Declan led his friend to the administration building nearby. Like many of the buildings on the compound, it was hundreds of years old and made of a dark stone, giving it the appearance of a kind of ancient fortress. But large open windows along all sides made it look much more inviting than it might have otherwise.

They climbed the wide staircase that led up to Declan’s office, a room which might have looked foreboding if the stone walls had not been lined with tapestries and some old, mismatched paintings. A cushy bantha run covered most of the floor, and a large wooden desk took up about a third of the room.

“Thought we could keep a better eye on them up here,” Declan said, glancing out the window. Down on the grass below, the boys sprinted past.

“Looks like they’re having a race now,” Obi-Wan said

“Good.” Declan was reaching for a bottle and some glasses that sat on one of his wooden shelves. “They’ll get tired quicker. Pull up a seat.”

Obi-Wan sat down in a patched up but comfortable seat that did not go with anything else in the room. He’d never really thought about it, but the decor in Declan’s office was positively hideous. It had always been like this, though, and it felt as warm and inviting to Obi-Wan now as it did when he was younger.

“That doesn’t look like tea,” he said as Declan handed him a glass half full of an amber brown liquid.

“It isn’t. Thought you could use something a little stronger.”

“Who am I to turn down hospitality?” Obi-Wan said, smiling. He took a sip, surprised at how smooth it was.

“Careful, it’s strong,” Declan said. “It’s good, but I reckon it will be better in a couple years.”

“You make this here?” Obi-Wan asked.

“It’s a bit of a pet project of mine. We started the distillery after the Council cut our budget a few seasons ago. Hoping to get a few extra credits selling to the casinos and such. Tourists, maybe.”

“I’m sorry to hear about the cuts,” Obi-Wan said sincerely. “Unfortunately, the Order is stretched very thin these days. We’re all feeling it, even in the Temple.”

Declan looked thoughtful. “Yeah. The budget cuts I can live with. We may have bigger problems soon, though. We’re a bit worried here that Helia is going to break away from the Republic, sooner or later.”

“Secede?” Obi-Wan said. “Do you really think so?”

Declan shrugged. “It’s already happened to a couple other systems in the same sector, along the same hyperspace route. Plus, I think more than a few of the crooks in charge here would love to get out of paying Republic taxes.”

“What about the tourism from Republic worlds?” Obi-Wan asked. “The main space lines would be cut off.”

“Most of what goes on here is still agriculture. And I expect Separatists need vacations too,” Declan said. “Pains me to think about what would happen to this place though. We’d have to leave, there’s no doubt about that. We may just be farmers, but we still represent the Republic.”

“There’s been a Jedi presence on this world for almost a thousand years. I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Obi-Wan said. “Though I will share your concerns with the Council. We must be watchful.”

“Just promise me you won’t let our archives fall into the hands of that  _ traitor . _ ” Declan slugged back the rest of his drink. “Excuse me.”

The sounds of two youthful voices had been escalating outside for about half a minute. Declan rose from his chair stalked to the window, sticking his head out. “Gentlemen! Who said you could stop and have a chat? Let’s MOVE.”

He shook his head to himself, walking back to his seat and pouring himself another splash of whiskey.

“Your little one has quite a chip on his shoulder,” Obi-Wan remarked.

“You don’t need to tell me,” Declan said, smiling a little. “He is a sharp one though. He can do almost any job on this farm. Works hard when he’s not busy being a thorn in my side.”

“He’s very strong with the Force?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Oh yes,” Declan said. “Very tuned into the Living Force especially. Probably more than any of us here.”

“How long has he been here?”

“Almost two years. He wasn’t yet twelve.”

“So young!” Obi-Wan exclaimed.

“Yeah, it didn’t used to be so common to send them out so early, but they’re trying to free up resources at the Temple. Weeding out the ones they don’t think will make good knights so they can give more attention to the others and get them ready for apprenticeships.”

Obi-Wan pondered this. He’d been so busy the last few years with Anakin he hadn’t given much thought to Temple younglings and their training.

“Plus, they think sending them out younger will get them more settled,” Declan continued. “There were some issues on other settlements with older kids running away as soon as they were sent there, joining the circus or nonsense like that. Temple found it embarrassing. I told them I’d take the young kids, but also told them straight up that I’m not running a reform school for troubled Jedi youth here, and asked them not to pawn their problem kids off on me. That’s not why we’re here.”

“No,” Obi-Wan agreed.

Declan sat back in his chair and stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I do wonder what would have happened if they’d have given Eraan more of a chance. They told me when they sent him here that he preferred the company of animals to people, which was true. But kids grow out of stuff like that. Give them time and patience.”

“Very true,” Obi-Wan said. “For how much we speak about patience, we don’t always apply it practically, especially with the young.”

He knew he was as guilty as anyone when it came to impatience with a youngster. He’d been trying to be better with that lately, but Anakin could be especially trying at times these days, even to the point of deliberately provoking Obi-Wan to anger.

“No matter what kind of work he’s meant for, Eraan is just one of those kids that really needs a master,” Declan sighed. “I’ve tried to be that for him. It’s hard though. Like you said, we’re all stretched thin these days. I’m hoping he can take my place someday, if he wants that. That is, if I don’t wring his scrawny neck first.” He was quiet for a moment. “It does seem like something of a waste though.”

“What do you mean?” Obi-Wan asked. His glass was empty now, but when Declan tried to refill it he shook his head. It  _ was  _ strong _. _

“He’s so strong with the Force, and we’re just farmers.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Obi-Wan admonished. “You are Jedi. Qui-Gon always spoke of the power and history of this place. You should be proud.”

Declan smiled fondly. “Yeah, he was our number one fan. Used to go on about how the Jedi here were so close to the Living Force, they could call down rain storms out of a cloudless sky. Hundreds of years ago, he said, when the Force was balanced.”

“He did love stories like that,” Obi-Wan said.

_ Balance. _

He got up and went to the window, looking down at the boys still running their laps, slower now. The air was still hot and still, and they must be covered in sweat.

“Shall we have them stop now and get cleaned up before dinner?” Obi-Wan asked. “I rather think you’ve made your point, don’t you?”

“I suppose so,” Declan said, setting his glass down. “You haven’t even been shown your rooms yet, have you?”

“No,” Obi-Wan said. “Coral was taking me, but then I felt...a disturbance. So we turned around.” He smiled ruefully.

Declan pushed the button on a small comm unit on the desk. A woman’s voice answered. “Coral? Can you come to the admin building. Our guests are ready to be shown to their rooms, now.”

They made their way to the building’s entrance and stopped the boys as they were making another lap around.

“All right, that’s enough,” Declan said. “Eraan, I’d like a word with you, please.” He turned to Obi-Wan. “See you two tonight.”

“Thanks for the drink,” Obi-Wan said.

“You were drinking?” Anakin asked after Declan and Eraan had disappeared inside.

Obi-Wan put his arm around Anakin’s shoulders, declining to answer the question. “Are you feeling calmer now?”

“I didn’t start the fight,” Anakin grumbled.

“That is not what I asked you, but I can sense that the answer is ‘no,” Obi-Wan said.

“I am calm!” Anakin insisted, glaring. 

Obi-Wan was about to make a reply to this, but was stopped by the approach of Coral walking up the path toward them, looking cheerful as always. He would discuss this incident with his padawan, and thoroughly, but it would have to wait until later.


	4. Correction is Compassion

Anakin stood on the balcony of the visitor suite he and Obi-Wan had been given to stay in, looking out over the farmland and distant hills. The sun was beginning to go down, bathing everything in a warm but quickly fading orange light. They had returned from dinner not long ago and Obi-Wan had gone to take a shower, so Anakin had had a little time to himself.

Their rooms were spacious and bright, with large, open windows without any panes - Anakin made a mental note to ask how they kept out the bugs. There was little furniture in the living room, only several large cushions to sit on and a low table in the old style. Several tapestries adorned the walls, showing flowering trees and large beasts with fearsome tusks.

Dinner had been pleasant. They had sat with the AgriCorps members in the dining hall about half the size of the one at the Jedi Temple, everyone sitting together at two long wooden tables. There were twenty-one Jedi at Safe Haven, as well as a few visiting from other settlements for training and education. Anakin had visited with about five of them, though when he asked how’d they’d come to be sent to the AgriCorps, Obi-Wan had given him a  _ l ook , _ so he hadn’t found out much. Only Coral had volunteered her story happily, telling Anakin that as a youngling she had actually  _ asked _ to stay at this farm while on an excursion from the Temple at the age of ten. The Council of Reassignment had granted her wish soon after. She’d never even attempted to build her lightsaber. Anakin had been amazed to hear this. Whoever heard of a Jedi asking to join the AgriCorps?

Behind him in the sitting room he could hear Obi-Wan moving about now, arranging some of the cushions more to his liking. Anakin glanced back nervously. They hadn’t yet had a chance to talk about his scuffle with Eraan, and he had a feeling it was about to come up. Obi-Wan didn’t often forget about things like that.

“Come here please, Padawan.”

Resigned to his fate, Anakin left the balcony, coming to sit on the brightly patterned cushion across from Obi-Wan that his master had moved to the middle of the room. Obi-Wan looked serious, and Anakin had a feeling the laps he’d been made to run earlier were not enough to appease his master.

It had been a long time since he’d been in trouble for fighting; in fact, he hadn’t been in a real fight with another kid since the first days of his training as a Jedi. In Mos Espa, boys like him got accustomed early in life to proving themselves with their fists. You learned that it was either fight when you had to, or get beaten down yourself. He’d quickly discovered that it was not so in the Temple. All things considered, Obi-Wan had been patient and kind with him, explaining to Anakin that this was his way of processing his grief and homesickness. He’d said he would learn in time to handle his emotions so he wouldn’t lash out.

But now, nearly four years into his Jedi training, Anakin knew more was expected of him. He didn’t know how patient and kind Obi-Wan would be this time.

He did feel a bit bad about the fight. He felt bad about how good it had felt to shove Eraan to the ground, and how easy it had been. It had felt good to be challenged, and to win. It had felt good to press the other boy’s face into the dirt, both of them knowing Anakin was the far stronger one. Obi-Wan could not know about any of this. These were things that needed to be hidden.

Apologizing right off the bat seemed like a good start. “I’m very sorry for fighting, Master.”

“Let me speak first, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, always one for protocol.

“Yes, Master,” said Anakin. It would surely be the first of many “yes, Masters” he would have to utter before they were through.

“Tell me how the fight started. I’m very interested to hear how you managed to get into a brawl with someone you just met within hours of landing on a new planet.”

Anakin looked at his master, unsure if Obi-Wan were trying to be funny. It was hard to tell, sometimes. “Well, we were carrying the stuff to storage, and I was trying to make conversation. And he got touchy and he shoved me.”

“And what exactly set him off?” Obi-Wan asked. “Or do you mean to tell me he just started shoving you?”

Anakin hesitated for a moment before deciding to own it. “I said he was touchy and no wonder he couldn’t make it as a padawan. But that’s no reason to shove a person.”

Obi-Wan leveled a disapproving frown at him - the exact reaction Anakin had expected. “No, but I still expect better from you. You are representing the Temple as well as every Jedi padawan and I don’t want you strutting about, antagonizing the Jedi here, or letting them antagonize you.”

Anakin thought this was unfair. “I wasn’t strutting about. And I wasn’t antagonizing anyone.”

Obi-Wan made an impatient gesture. “Regardless of what you were or weren't doing, I would like you to think more about how your conduct influences others,” he said.

Anakin knew his line, but couldn’t bring himself to say it. He didn’t want to. Why couldn’t Obi-Wan even try to see his side, for once. Perfect Obi-Wan, who hadn’t even been there to see what happened for himself.

“I am trying to help you, you know,” Obi-Wan continued, more gently now. 

“Yeah, sure,” Anakin said bitterly. “‘Correction is compassion.’” This was seemingly a favorite Jedi phrase of his Obi-Wan, one he’d heard a lot during discussions like these over the years. But Anakin had often wondered how much his master had loved the phrase when he was a padawan himself.

“You ought to watch that attitude, or this conversation is going to head to a place I’m sure neither of us want,” Obi-Wan said quietly.

Anakin looked down at his hands. “Yes, Master.” The frustration within him started to bubble up at last, and he took a deep breath but couldn’t seem to force it back down. A few hot tears spilled out of his eyes and down his cheeks, much to his dismay. He hated crying in front of anyone, especially Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan sighed and reached his hand to Anakin’s cheek to brush away a tear. “Now, there’s no need for that.”

“Yes, Master,” said Anakin automatically.

“You’re tired and this discussion is going nowhere. Go to bed now and we’ll do our meditations together in the morning. All right?” 

Anakin nodded, trying to swallow away the lump forming his throat. Without another look at Obi-Wan, he got up and went to his room, only letting his tears fall freely when the door closed behind him.

________

Obi-Wan had been correct. Anakin had been very tired and sleep had come easy that night. He awoke before sunrise, when only a very faint, grey light had begun to fill his room. He found Obi-Wan in the sitting room in the same place Anakin had left him the night before, but now he was meditating.

Anakin sat down across from him again and began his usual series of structured meditations on tranquility and restraint, the routine Obi-Wan had given him some months ago to help him focus and remain calm. It worked a bit - it was better than nothing. He preferred it to the unstructured meditation of letting his mind simply meld into the Force, the results of which could be unpredictable and frightening, with strange and powerful visions and feelings, none of which he could make sense of. He’d shattered a window once by accident by meditating in that way, and Obi-Wan had forbidden him from attempting such meditation without supervision.

After meditation, he expected Obi-Wan to talk to him again about the fight, but his master said nothing of it, which was fine with Anakin. He still felt embarrassed about his emotions the other night and didn’t want to revisit those feelings. Maybe Obi-Wan felt the same way.

They went to breakfast and afterward to the library in the old school building, where Obi-Wan outlined Anakin’s schedule of study for the time they’d be on Helia. Anakin was to study and train in the mornings, and then after a break assist with work on the farm til dinner, then have free time.

After getting Anakin settled, Obi-Wan left him sitting in the wide archives alone with his texts. The silence of the place disturbed him a little. Even in the Archives on the Temple, there was a bustle, murmurs of quiet conversation and hushed giggling of younglings. Here there was no sound but the faint birdsong coming from the gardens outside. Anakin did his best to study, but found his mind kept wandering. It was not yet time for his break, but it was getting close, so he decided to call it a day and left his books sitting where they were on the long archive table. He grabbed his bag and jumped out of the library window, that being the fastest way to get outside.

The air felt warm but not yet stifling, and after looking around a little, Anakin found a nice clear place by one of the garden fountains and pulled a remote droid out of his bag. He used it for blocking drills with his lightsaber, having modified it to be faster and more powerful than the standard ones at the Temple. Obi-Wan hadn’t scheduled any real physical training for the day, but Anakin did not think he could go more than a day without practicing at least a bit with his lightsaber.

He turned the droid on and let it fly, keeping his eyes closed as he blocked the lasers it fired at him in quick succession, buzzing around his head first and then dipping down low. He moved quickly and fluidly, savoring the moment, feeling instead of thinking. After a minute or two, however, a feeling made his fingers hit the button on the remote hanging from his belt and the droid went still in the air.

Anakin turned around, opening his eyes and searching for the person whose eyes he’d felt watching him. It didn’t take him long to see Eraan sitting up in a tree nearby, bare feet dangling, staring down at him.

_ Weirdo _ , thought Anakin.

“Can I help you?” He asked the boy tersely.

Eraan shrugged and hopped down out of the tree, approaching him. “Think I could have a turn with that?”

Anakin stared at him.

“Look,” Eraan said. “I’m sorry about yesterday. It’s just that the last padawan to visit here gave me a lot of trouble. I guess I took it out on you. Declan and I talked about it. It wasn’t right.”

“Who was it?” Anakin asked curiously. “Who gave you trouble?”

“His name was Vasti something. Vasti Sarathy. At first he would barely talk to me, then he wouldn’t leave me alone. He seemed to like reminding me what a supposed failure I am.”

Anakin rolled his eyes. “Oh him. Well, I can’t say I blame you. He’s like that to everyone, I think. That guy’s a piece of work.” He held out his hand. “Truce, then”

Eraan grabbed Anakin’s hand, but looked past him at the droid still hovering in mid air. “So can I try?”

“Oh, sure,” Anakin said. “If you think you can handle it. I really juiced this thing up.”

Eraan pulled the lightsaber off his belt and ignited the green blade. Anakin wisely took a few steps back before activating the droid again, and watched as Eraan swung gleefully at it, blocking the shots with gusto. He wasn’t terrible really, but then, he didn’t have his eyes closed. His form was pretty sloppy too, as if he hadn’t practiced in a long time. Anakin had to dodge a few stray lasers that Eraan had missed. He laughed, watching the other boy duck and jump around, waving his blade in wide arcs.

“What’s all this about?”

Anakin turned to see Obi-Wan approaching. He smiled but didn’t answer, instead turning back to watch Eraan.

Obi-Wan took the scene in for a couple moments before placing his hand on Anakin’s shoulder. “Turn that thing off. This is ridiculous to watch.”

Anakin did so, snickering as Eraan kept hopping around for a moment after the blasts had stopped firing.

“All right,” Obi-Wan said, approaching the other boy. “Let’s tighten it up a bit, shall we? Show me a proper opening stance.” 

Eraan complied enthusiastically, assuming the basic Shii-Cho stance that even the tiny younglings knew. Obi-Wan adjusted his hands slightly on his hilt and moved it a bit lower. He took a step back, apparently satisfied, and ignited his own blade.

“Now, show me how you block.”

Anakin watched them go through basic blocking drills, kneeling down on the ground as if he were at a lightsaber class at the Temple. Watching them made him think about how not so long ago he’d been going through the same exercises for the first time with Obi-Wan. He remembered how his master hadn’t even let him touch a training ‘saber until he could do all the basic movements perfectly with a wooden training stick. How proud he’d been when he’d gotten his first practice lightsaber, and how far he’d come even since then.

Obi-Wan continued Eraan’s lesson and Anakin started to feel impatient. When would it be his turn? He wanted Eraan to see how good he was, and he wanted to show Obi-Wan as well. It felt like a long time since they’d sparred just for fun. Obi-Wan always seemed to be too busy these days.

Anakin gripped his hilt tightly, watching the two of them go through the same boring, basic movements over and over. But his chance never came. Obi-Wan turned off his lightsaber and clipped it back to his belt. 

“That’s enough for today, I think. Declan told me you boys are needed in the northeast quadrant getting some readings on the vaporators there.”

“But I didn’t get a turn!” Anakin protested, springing to his feet.

“Calm down, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said. “You’ll have plenty of time to train.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin forced himself to say. He knew Obi-Wan was right, but he didn’t have to like it.


	5. A Rescue Mission

Anakin sat with Eraan in front of the moisture vaporator, the fifth one they’d looked at so far in the fallow fields on the northeast quadrant. The machine whirred, every so often emitting an unpleasant clanking sound as it ran through its diagnostics check.

“Couldn’t one person do this?” Anakin asked impatiently. At this rate, checking all the vaporators was going to take all afternoon, and they weren’t even really doing anything but pushing a few buttons and waiting. Is this really how Obi-Wan wanted him to spend his time? Maybe there was some kind of cryptic Jedi lesson here, but he couldn’t see it.

Watching Eraan fight the droid earlier had been kind of funny, but all the same, he didn’t really trust the boy. Aside from their rough start, he’d always had a hard time getting a read on the Jedi kids raised in the Temple. He knew they didn’t get him either. At best, his relationships with padawans were those of awkward politeness. He always sensed they felt sorry for him, somehow, and he didn’t like it.

“Yeah, sure, one person could do it easy,” Eraan said, picking at his toe nail. He looked up at the sky, which was a deep sapphire blue and contained nothing but a couple wispy clouds. “I suppose Declan is still mad about yesterday. Wanted us to talk and get to know each other better I guess.”

“Oh,” Anakin said. A few moments of silence passed. Anakin really wished he had his remote droid to practice with now, but Obi-Wan had made him put it back in his room.

Eraan seemed to pick up on his thoughts. “You think your master would give me another lesson with my lightsaber sometime?”

Anakin felt a sharp prick of indignation at the question, but he shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“No one around here is too good with a lightsaber. Kenji’s okay, but he doesn’t like teaching. He likes to practice alone but I watch him sometimes.”

“Really,” Anakin said, thoroughly uninterested.

“You’re jealous, huh?” Eraan said. His face had the faintest trace of a smirk. Anakin kind of felt like shoving him again. “You don’t want your master giving me lessons.”

“What? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Eraan went silent again, but not a thoughtful silence. He seemed to be listening to something, though all Anakin could hear was the clanking and occasional beeping of the moisture vaporator in front of them. Eraan got to his feet and started pacing back and forth for a couple moments before giving Anakin a piercing look.

“Do you feel that?”

“What?”

“I’ve gotta go.”

“Where?” Anakin asked.  _ Force, but this kid was weird. _

“You don’t sense it? A disturbance.” Eraan said. But before Anakin could reply, he took off, running quickly across the field toward a wooded patch in the distance.

Never one to be left behind, Anakin leapt up and chased after Eraan, catching up with him after a couple moments. He hadn’t sensed anything, and couldn’t imagine what Eraan could be racing toward. 

“Where are you going? 

Eraan didn’t answer. His entire focus seemed to be locked in on something. Anakin followed him into the woods. For several minutes they scrambled over fallen tree trunks and boulders, finally emerging again from the woods and now standing on the edge of a small, shallow canyon. Eraan took the scene in for a moment before continuing, running along the canyon’s edge.

“Is this a normal day for you?” Anakin asked, not exactly tired yet, but wanted to have at least some idea of what was going on. He wondered if Eraan was in the habit of suddenly shooting off into the woods.

The canyon was getting noticeably narrower as they ran on. Eraan stopped. “We’re close.”

“To what?” Anakin asked.

As if on queue, a loud cry echoed across the canyon, something between a shriek and a roar. Anakin felt a chill go through his body. Eraan took off again, now at a frantic pace. The canyon was getting narrower and Anakin could see what looked like an abrupt end of it. Up against a cliff wall there was something huge and grey, like a boulder but hairy. Anakin didn’t register what it was until it lifted its head and bellowed, the same cry they’d heard before.

“Is that a dentherium?” he asked Eraan as they got closer. He reached down to his belt for his macrobinoculars, but realized he’d thrown them in his bag earlier that morning with his remote droid, and had thrown the bag onto his bed after his midday break. Still he could make out the creature writhing around, clearly in pain. It seemed to be caught in something, a large net.

“Yeah,” Eraan breathed, his eyes wild now. “Look - those are poachers for sure.” 

Anakin looked further down the canyon and counted six men with blaster rifles standing a good distance away from the beast, probably because of the noise it was making. They seemed to be chatting casually as they drank from their canteens. A cluster of speeder bikes hovered near them. They must have chased the animal down the canyon and trapped it.

Eraan turned to Anakin. “We’ve gotta help it. They can’t do this.”

He didn’t wait for Anakin’s reply before taking off again. Once again, Anakin followed, trying to keep his eye on both the men and the dentherium. They crouched down as they came to stand on the cliff directly above the animal, which Anakin now recognized as the same one in the tapestries in the guest suite at the farm. Although in real life it was much uglier, he thought. Huge bent tusks, a rough mane of fur and a short trunk. Four eyes that were beady and small in proportion to its huge body, and four short but powerful looking legs. It was indeed twisted up in a net, one with barbs that were caught in its hair.

Anakin and Eraan crouched down behind a boulder, just peeking out enough to take in the scene. The dentherium made a loud huffing noise and Anakin mentally prepared himself for another ear-splitting below, but it seemed to calm down almost immediately. He glanced over at Eraan, who was in deep concentration.

_ What do we do _ , Anakin thought. The smartest move would be to make some kind of distraction, lead the men away from the animal while Eraan freed it. But what if that didn’t work?

While he was thinking, the hum of approaching speeder bikes down the canyon got louder and then abruptly stopped. Anakin squinted down the canyon and saw a new group of people, a few men and a woman, approach the poachers. Anakin recognized them as the Cheen’jo, one of the ancient clans of Helia. From what he knew, the Cheen’jo were’t too friendly to offworlders or anyone outside of their clan, but these seemed to be on friendly terms with the poachers. The new group looked at the dentherium appreciatively for a moment, then turned back to their companions. Anakin wondered what they were waiting for, but surely they wouldn’t wait for that long. They’d be over here soon to kill the animal.

Eraan had opened his eyes and was taking in the scene as well. “Funny, seeing Cheen’jo here. They usually don’t come this close to the farm.”

“We’ve gotta make our move, and quick,” Anakin said.

Eraan nodded. “We’ll have to cut the net off. But carefully, or she’ll bolt. I’ll do my best to keep her calm. I’ll jump down first.” He closed his eyes again, concentrating, and without hesitation jumped down onto the animal’s back. The dentherium was still now, still breathing loudly but making no other sounds. Eraan had his lightsaber out and was cutting the net down the middle. Anakin looked at the group in the distance before hopping down to join Eraan. They surely only had a moment before being noticed.

The net was easy to cut but there were a great many barbs still caught in the animal’s hair and it began to shriek again and buck. Anakin fell forward and caught hold of its mane to keep from getting tossed to the ground.

“Careful!” Eraan hissed.

Then a deep male voice echoed through the canyon. 

“Hey! What are those kids doing? What do you think you’re doing?” The man yelling sounded more surprised than angry.

Anakin raised his blade, preparing for any shots that might come their way.

“Almost!” Eraan panted, still slicing at the net, a bit more frantically now. “You’d better sit down and hold on.”

Anakin did so, his eyes still on the group. A few of them were stalking over, though tentatively. The creature turned around and gave a great bellow, then charged forward, scattering those standing in its path.

“Don’t shoot at them! Let them go,” Anakin heard one of the Cheen’jo men say as the animal bolted past them. “They have strong magic.”

Anakin looked back over his shoulder as the dentherium galloped down the canyon, keeping his eye on their enemies until they were out of sight completely.

“Now what?” Anakin asked Eraan. He turned off his blade and put his lightsaber back on his belt. It was easier to hold on with two hands.

“She’s going to find her herd,” Eraan said, looking back at Anakin and smiling. “We’ll make sure she gets there safe.”

Anakin nodded, beginning to enjoy the ride. Today hadn’t ended up so boring after all.

___________

It was late afternoon when Obi-Wan emerged from the cool air of the central workshop into the stifling heat. He’d spent the last few hours helping with repairing some power components for the farm’s droids. This kind of work was more up his padawan’s alley, but he had certainly learned enough about droids in the past few years, thanks to Anakin. The work was not something he generally enjoyed, but it was rare these days he got to work much with his hands, and he had found it a nice change of pace. He wondered how Anakin had done in the fields with Eraan. According to Declan, the work should have kept them busy the greater part of the afternoon. 

He was heading back to their rooms to get cleaned up when Tika, a young and - at the moment - quite frazzled-looking Zabrak approached him. “Master Obi-Wan, have you seen those boys?”

“Not since about mid-day. Something wrong?”

“They never reported back. Should have been done an hour ago, at least. I just gotta run those numbers.”

“I’ll let you know if I -” Obi-Wan started, but Tika was already headed in another direction, scratching at a data pad screen and muttering to himself.

Obi-Wan frowned and pulled out his communicator. He waited a few moments for the connection to pick up, but it never did. Not terribly surprising. Anakin had been known at times to “accidentally” silence his device, or to be “too busy” to pick it up. He would just have to be patient.

_ They’d better not be fighting again _ , he thought, feeling discouraged. Maybe it had been a bad idea to send them out into the fields alone. So far this trip was not off to a good start.

__________

They were still quite a distance away, clustered around a small watering hole when Anakin saw them; he counted fifteen of the creatures, almost all of them larger than the one they were riding now. 

“I knew they couldn’t be far,” Eraan said. They’d been riding for about twenty minutes, and he hadn’t spoken much. He seemed to be locked in some kind of communication with the dentherium. Anakin had known Jedi to be able to pacify animals, this was a common enough skill. But he’d never met anyone who could really talk to them, the way Eraan could. Had he learned it, or was this an innate power, he wondered. Could Eraan teach him? 

The animal slowed and Eraan hopped off into the long prairie grass. Anakin followed his lead, and they watched the reunion for a couple minutes.

“They come close to the farm sometimes,” Eraan said, his voice somewhat hushed so as not to startle the herd. “But I never got to ride one before. I never thought they’d let me.”

“Well,” Anakin shrugged, “we did save its life.”

Eraan nodded. “We’d better head back to the farm. It’s gonna be a long walk.”

___________

Upon returning to the guest rooms after dinner, Obi-Wan found them as empty and quiet as they had been that afternoon. There had still been no sign of either boy - no one had seen them or heard from them since much earlier that day. Tika the Zabrak had gone out to the fields in the northeast quadrant to find that the speeder the boys had taken out was still there. So, wherever they had gone, they had walked there.

Over dinner, Declan had shrugged off the whole affair in his predictably casual way. “When Eraan gets an idea in his head, he sees it through. Not the first time he’s missed dinner and it probably won’t be the last.”

Obi-Wan was trying to relax about the situation. He hadn’t exactly given his padawan very hard and fast rules about when to report back, after all. Even at the Temple, Anakin sometimes disappeared for long stretches, and unless this were in the middle of the night, or he missed a lesson or assignment, Obi-Wan typically didn’t press the matter. Still, they were on a strange planet and he wished Anakin would get into the habit of answering his communicator, at the very least.

He pulled his own communicator out again for the third time this afternoon, hoping -but not really believing- that this would be the time his padawan finally answered.

There was no voice answering on the other end, but the silence in the apartments was broken by a familiar beeping sound coming from Anakin’s room. 

_ Of course _ , Obi-Wan thought bitterly. He walked into the boy’s room and followed the beeping to a bag sitting on the bed, and took out Anakin’s commlink.


	6. Stuck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who is reading this! :)

The stars were out, and had been out for a while, when Anakin and Eraan saw the familiar lights of the farm in the distance. They’d been on and off running for several miles, though as it got darker they’d had to be more cautious, Force-sensitive or not. The prairie looked like inviting, easy terrain in the light of day, but after dark proved to be a challenge to navigate. Eraan had become discouraged after catching his foot and tripping over some creature’s burrow. He was tired. They both were.

They had argued a bit about whether to go through the canyon or around it (Eraan’s suggestion to go around had eventually won. Anakin had to concede -albeit reluctantly- that Eraan knew the geography better), but by the time they reached the farm again both boys were too tired for any kind of conversation, let alone bickering.

Most of the windows in the residential building were dark by the time they reached it. Anakin noted that his own suite was still bright, so it couldn't be _too_ late. He reached out and felt Obi-Wan meditating, a feeling that was familiar and soothing.

“Do you have a curfew?” Anakin asked Eraan as they entered the building.

Eraan shook his head. “Not really. I mean, Declan would probably chew me out if he found me coming back late, but there’s no one really watching over me here. Not like it was at the Temple.”

“So they don’t treat you like a kid,” Anakin said, more to himself.

Eraan shrugged. “I guess. I’m the only one here who’s really a kid, but in AgriCorps no one babysits you if they know you can pull your weight.” 

They paused in front of the wide staircase that led up to the second floor, where the guest quarters were. “Well, ‘night,” Eraan said. “Thanks for helping today.”

“Well, someone had to look after you,” Anakin said.

Eraan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I sure don’t know what I would do without you big shot padawans here to guide me.” He gave Anakin a small smile before turning and heading to his own quarters.

“But really,” Anakin called out. “I’m surprised no one picked you to be an apprentice.”

Eraan turned around and looked at him.

“You’re good,” Anakin said. “Powerful, I mean.”

“Thanks,” Eraan said, but he didn’t sound happy.

Anakin climbed the staircase, starting to feel the full effects of the afternoon’s exhaustion now that he was on his own again. He was starving too. He hadn’t thought too much about food but he hadn’t eaten since midday when Eraan and he had grabbed a quick bite on the way to the fields.

He palmed open the door to their quarters to be greeted with the sight of Obi-Wan meditating in the center of the living room. Anakin had the sudden realization that his master might not be too happy with him, considering the hour. At the Temple their rooms were close by but Anakin had at least a decent chance of sneaking back in late without Obi-Wan knowing it - or at least not directly confronting him about it. Here there was no getting around the fact that he’d been gone several hours and quite a while past dark, at that. But if Obi-Wan really cared, wouldn't he have comm’d him?

Anakin shut the door and stepped lightly into the room so as not to disturb his master. He thought about grabbing a piece of fruit from a ceramic bowl on the counter of their small kitchenette as he passed by, but something was making him want to get to his room as soon as possible and stay there til morning.

“Padawan,” Obi-Wan said, opening his eyes. “It’s about time, isn’t it?”

“What time is it?” Anakin asked innocently.

“Late,” Obi-Wan said. Anakin didn’t miss the edge in his voice.

“Master, Eraan and I -”

Obi-Wan gestured to the seat in front of him. “Come here and talk to me properly.”

Anakin did so, unable to suppress a sigh. He wished Obi-Wan would just send him to bed and save the lecture for the morning, if there was going to be one. There probably would be a lecture, or worse, judging by the look his master was giving him now.

“Now, what have you been up to?” Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin launched into an account of the afternoon’s events, trying to remember as many details as he could. Obi-Wan listened impassively, only raising an eyebrow now and again. Anakin could tell he wasn’t terribly impressed. 

“Then we had to walk home,” Anakin finished. “I said we should cut through the canyon, but Eraan wanted to go around, but I think my way would have been quicker.”

“So after this poorly thought out adventure you didn’t think of comming anyone at the farm and having them come meet you?” Obi-Wan asked.

“I don’t know, I didn’t know it would take that long,” Anakin said. In truth, he hadn’t thought about his communicator at all. When he’d been out there in the bushland with Eraan, he hadn’t been thinking about anything but their “mission.”

“Well, I tried to comm _you_ , my Padawan,” Obi-Wan said.

“You did?” Anakin asked. His hands automatically went to the pouch on his belt where he usually kept his communicator. _Usually._ Now it was empty.

Obi-Wan pulled something out of his own pouch and handed it to Anakin.

“Oh.” Anakin accepted the communicator, suddenly feeling very foolish.

“Do you know where I found it? Haphazardly thrown into a bag with some other equipment on your bed. I’m disappointed Anakin, this is very sloppy. You’re to carry all your essential equipment with you at all times.”

Anakin was silent. His master’s words stung terribly, and it was worse that he was right. But he didn’t want to admit this right now. He couldn’t. He could bear scolding for coming in late, but not for a stupid mistake. Not after all he and Eraan had accomplished this afternoon, as poorly thought out as it might have been.

“Well?” Obi-Wan said. “What do you have to say?”

“Maybe if you’d let me take my bag into the fields instead of putting it back in the room…” Anakin grumbled. He knew that would not go over well but, who cared? Let Obi-Wan get mad.

“I said you could not bring your remote droid with you,” Obi-Wan said calmly. “Do not try and blame your lack of preparedness on me.”

This wasn’t the reaction Anakin had been going for. He got to his feet and stalked to the other side of the room.

“Anakin, we aren’t through yet,” Obi-Wan said. He sounded more tired than angry. Somehow, the patience of his master made Anakin feel all the more inadequate. Perfect Jedi Obi-Wan who always did everything right. He’d probably never forgotten anything in his life.

“ _I’m_ through,” Anakin said, knowing that this was most definitely asking for it.

“You’re letting your pride cloud your good sense, Padawan,” Obi-Wan said, his voice still relatively level. “I need to be able to stay in contact with you when you go traipsing around. It’s my responsibility to make sure you are safe.”

“Why do you always treat me like such a baby?” Anakin snapped. “I can take care of myself, even if I forget my stupid commlink sometimes.”

“Excuse me?” At last Obi-Wan’s Jedi serenity seemed to be cracking. “I’ve really just about had it with you.”

“Well, I’m sorry I’m such a lousy padawan,” Anakin huffed. “I’m sorry you got _stuck_ with me. Sorry you couldn’t pick some perfect little suck-up for a padawan. I bet you’d love to see me dumped off in a place like this, like Eraan.”

“That’s quite enough,” Obi-Wan said. “Anakin, you will-”

There was a loud crash. Anakin whirled around to see that the bowl of fruit had seemingly thrown itself from its place on the counter. Shards of ceramic littered the floor and pieces of round fruit rolled lazily in several directions.

He hadn’t done it on purpose, not this time. But Anakin knew it was him. Without a word, and without looking back, he went back out the front door and closed it behind him. 

____________

Obi-Wan looked at the bowl - what remained of it - for a few moments before rising from his seat. Wherever Anakin had gone, Obi-Wan was not about to follow him. Let him have his tantrum. 

He walked to the fruit and the broken bowl and started picking up the shards, setting them on a neat pile on the countertop.

He could not for the life of him imagine where Anakin got his ideas. Since when had Obi-Wan made Anakin feel like he was “stuck” with him? He’d taken the boy’s training on himself because of Qui-Gon, that was true. But he’d done so freely and willingly, and he’d always tried his best to do right by his padawan. 

He took a deep breath, picking up the fruit now. Some of it looked bruised, but he laid it all together on the counter. 

Anakin’s outbursts were nothing new, but they had started to get darker, less childish. He was learning how to twist the knife. Qui-Gon had always said such behavior came from a place of suffering and turmoil, and he was right. Obi-Wan had never these past few years allowed himself to despair about Anakin or mistrust his own ability to train him as a Jedi, but now all those lingering doubts and fears that had never quite left him about the boy were coming forward to taunt him bitterly. 

Anakin had been too old when he’d begun his training. He hadn’t been given the necessary preparations to be a padawan and bear the burdens Jedi apprentices were asked to bear. Worse, the first ten years of his life had been steeped in fear and the trauma of slavery. What could Obi-Wan do for him? What had Qui-Gon expected him to do?

He picked up a waste bin and swept the remains of the broken bowl into it, then dimmed the lights in the room and settled back down to meditate again. These dark thoughts were useless. Qui-Gon had always stressed the importance of keeping a positive mindset, and learning to do so had saved his life - and perhaps, more importantly, his sanity - on many occasions. 

But at the moment, facing down another Sith Lord seemed like an easier challenge than training Anakin Skywalker.


	7. The Weary Get Some Rest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note on Padawan braids: I'm not really sure if non-apprenticed younglings are intended to have braids or not, it seems like in the movies even the very young children do, however they don't seem to in Clone Wars series. For the purposes of this story I'm assuming that they do.

Anakin didn’t really know where he was going. When he’d left the suite, just getting out, just getting away, had seemed like enough of a plan. Storming out had felt good in the moment. Now that he was out in the quiet corridor, and no longer had a target for his anger, and alone, he didn’t know what to do with himself. A walk, maybe, He went back down the staircase he’d climbed up just a few minutes before, but it felt like a long time had passed.

The adrenaline of his outburst had already started to fade, replaced by a kind of ache in his chest, born of equal parts sadness and anger.

He was about to go back out the door when a voice - not Obi-Wan’s - called his name. 

“Anakin?” Eraan’s head was sticking out of one of the rooms that lined the long corridor of the ground floor of the residential building. “What are you doing down here?”

“Can I see your room?” Anakin asked. He didn’t particularly want to talk about it standing right there in the middle of the hall.

Eraan nodded and stepped aside to let Anakin enter. Anakin was pleased to see the other boy’s room was almost as untidy as he habitually kept his at the Temple, (much to Obi-Wan’s chagrin). It wasn’t dirty really, but there were a lot of things strewn about. Gadgets of varying kinds and sizes, data pads, books, piles of clothes and a couple puzzles and models. An old holo projector sat on the floor in the middle of the room. Anakin wondered if it was one of the ones sent from the Temple. There was a bed, a chair and a desk which all looked to be from different parts of the galaxy, but everything looked warm and comforting. Not much like one of the rooms at the Temple.

Eraan himself looked even less Jedi-like as usual, now wearing an oversized shirt that had “Solkola Beach” printed on the front in bold letters. Anakin wondered where that was, and if Eraan had actually been there.

“You get in trouble?” Eraan asked, closing the door. He flopped down onto his bed and looked at Anakin as if expecting a good story. At the same time, there was nothing mean or mocking about the question. He just looked curious.

Unable to resist, Anakin picked up a puzzle cube that had been sitting on Eraan’s desk and started fiddling with it. “Sort of. He was mad I forgot my commlink. I tried to tell him about saving the dentherium and all but he didn’t even care. Probably because it wasn’t ‘official Jedi business.’”

“How’d you end up down here?” Eraan asked.

Anakin moved a row of the puzzle into place with a satisfying click. “I yelled at him. About how I was sorry he was stuck with me. I just had to...leave.”

Eraan looked perplexed. “What do you mean, ‘stuck’?”

Anakin sighed. Now he wished he hadn’t agreed to answer Eraan’s questions and he wished he had been more vague with his answers. He wanted to change the subject, but he had a feeling Eraan wouldn’t leave him alone about it now. “He’s only training me because he promised his master he would.”

“Oh,” Eraan said. He thought for a moment. “So?”

Anakin handed him the puzzle, sitting down on the bed beside him. “Solved it. Too easy.”

Eraan grabbed it indignantly. “It was already half solved. Anyway, who cares if he made a promise? I wish Master Yoda had made someone promise to train me. At least someone would have cared.”

Anakin contemplated this. He supposed he’d never really been in Eraan’s position. To be raised in the Temple meant being just one of many younglings being considered for apprenticeships, all hoping and trying to distinguish themselves, to stand out. Obviously, being strong with the Force wasn’t always enough by itself.

“He seems to like you well enough,” Eraan continued.

“It’s not that,” Anakin said. He wished he had better words. “I just don’t think I’m what he really wanted. He probably wanted someone more like him. Someone who doesn’t mess up so much.”

Eraan shrugged. “Maybe. But Jedi Knights aren’t supposed to think about what they want. They just think about what they’re supposed to do. It’s part of the Code.” He gave Anakin a strange, long look then, as if realizing something. “You are the boy who came into the Temple late, aren’t you?”

Anakin nodded. He usually tried to avoid talking about his history with people when he could. It always made him feel like more of an outsider than he already felt. Eraan seemed to sense that, and didn’t ask any further questions. He reached for a basket on his night table and held it out to Anakin. It was full of small cakes studded with nuts and dried fruits.

“Want some? Coral left them here for me.”

Anakin took one gratefully. After fighting with Obi-Wan his stomach had felt tight and twisted up, but now in the calmness of Eraan’s room he was feeling ravenous again. “Thanks. That was nice of her.”

“Yeah. She gets worried when I miss dinner. Do you want to watch a holovid? I have a bunch.”

“Okay,” Anakin said. He wasn’t used to watching vids for entertainment; Jedi didn’t normally have time for such indulgences. If there were any non-educational vids to be found in the Temple he didn’t know about them. The last time he’d watched one was at Kitster’s family’s house in Mos Espa, years ago. His family had owned a whole two old, worn out vid tapes and an ancient holo projector which Anakin always helped repair when it broke down, securing himself a warm welcome at Kitster’s nearly anytime. One of the tapes the family owned was a slow-moving Sullustian romance, but the boys’ favorite had been about some warriors fighting monsters in an asteroid belt. The tape itself had been so battered and used over the years that there were whole parts of the story missing, but they hadn’t cared.

Eraan started gathering up the tapes that were scattered in various locations around his room. “There’s a swap meet in town every season, and everytime we go I get some new ones with my allowance,” he explained. “I like the funny ones the best.”

“Do you have any with fighting?” Anakin asked.

“Yeah, lots. This one is about some guys rescuing a princess from some Trandoshan pirates.”

Anakin nodded his approval and Eraan stuck the tape in and turned the lights off so they could see it better. It was a silly story, full of exaggeration and nonsense, but watching it Anakin started to feel a peaceful drowsiness come over him.

“Sometimes these are funny without trying to be,” Eraan laughed after a while. “If you tried something like that in real life, you’d be dead.”

“So, how’d you get sent out here, anyway?” Anakin asked. His eyelids were feeling heavy now, and the vid was starting to lose his interest.

“It was just kinda sudden,” Eraan said, sounding tired himself. He was slumped against the wall, a pillow tucked behind his head. “Right after our trip to Ilum. I didn’t know it was gonna happen. They said they thought I’d be happier here. Declan thinks maybe I’ll take over someday.”

“Do you want to?” Anakin asked. They were both ignoring the vid now. “Do you like it here?”

“It’s okay,” Eraan said. “Beats some of the other AgriCorps farms. We visited one on Rheylon, where there are a bunch of mining colonies. That place is just a giant, lifeless rock. All the settlements are under biodomes. I’d go crazy living in one of those.”

“Mm, yeah,” Anakin agreed. “Too quiet.” He was laying down fully now, his head resting on his arms. 

“You know what the part that hurt the most was?” Eraan asked. He reached over and turned off the projector, and the sounds of yelling and blaster fire ceased immediately.

“Hm?”

“When they cut my braid off,” Eraan said quietly. “Because then you know it’s really over. Like when they make you a Knight and cut it off you know that part of your life is gone forever. Except when they cut mine off I knew my chance to be a Knight was gone forever.”

Anakin’s fingers moved automatically to his own braid. When Obi-Wan had taken him as his apprentice, he hadn’t thought much of the braid his master had given him, other than it meant he was training to be a Jedi. What would it have been like to be raised in the Jedi Order almost your whole life, to be trained for an apprenticeship, only to be told suddenly that you weren’t worthy? That you would never make it? To have the symbol of your whole purpose ripped away from you?

“They should have given you more of a chance,” Anakin said.

“Guess I can’t really blame them,” Eraan said sleepily, laying down fully now. “I was always playing in the gardens when I should have been studying. They probably thought I didn’t care.”

“Mm,” Anakin said. It was getting harder and harder to resist the call of sleep. “I guess I should get back now…”

But unconsciousness took him before he could even finish the thought.

  
  
  



	8. It's Too Late

It felt like the old days.

Obi-Wan breathed in the cool night air, the smell of Helia after it rained. Just off the trail, he noticed a cluster of blue-green mushrooms popping up under the brush, given away only by the faint glow of their bioluminescence.  _ Curious _ , he thought. Such mushrooms only grew here in the spring. The summer months were too dry.

He made his final ascent up the trail to where it ended at the top of a ridge, one of his master’s favorite spots to sit and think. Qui-Gon always did appreciate a good view. Obi-Wan was not surprised to see him there, looking out over the river, a picture of Jedi serenity. How Obi-Wan always remembered him.

“It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?” Qui-Gon remarked when he saw him. “Are you having a nice stay?”

“I’m trying to,” Obi-Wan said. “And I thought it was summer.”

“Well, you always did prefer it here in the spring. I did as well. It feels a little more alive here.” Qui-Gon looked up at the sky and Obi-Wan’s gaze followed his former master’s. The stars seemed incredibly bright, densely packed together in the black sky.

“The galaxy looks so peaceful from this vantage point, doesn’t it” Qui-Gon asked. He pointed up toward the middle of the sky. “There’s Malastare.”

Obi-Wan had often been impressed with Qui-Gon’s ability to orient himself no matter where they were in the Galaxy; sometimes it seemed that he knew every star, at least every inhabited and named system, and whenever they were on Helia Obi-Wan had quizzed him when they had the chance, especially when he’d been much younger. Obi-Wan scanned the sky for something familiar. He’d never quite managed to reach Qui-Gon’s level, but he knew a few. Qui-Gon had taught him about the constellations of the ancient peoples of Helia, and within those he could find familiar worlds.

“Isn’t that Naboo?” He said, pointing to a bright star in the Eastern sky. That one was easy, because it formed the “eye” of the constellation called the  _ Phoenix _ .

“Very good,” Qui-Gon said. “You should show Anakin.”

Obi-Wan lowered his hand, feeling a pang go through him. He knew what Qui-Gon was going to ask him next. The only reason he was probably here now was to ask the question.

“How is his training coming?”

Obi-Wan snorted. “Terribly. I am not sure what you expected me to do with him. He was too old to start training. You didn’t listen to me. You never did listen to me.”

“He’s very advanced for his age,” Qui-Gon pointed out. “You’ve taught him well.”

Obi-Wan wondered why Qui-Gon had even bothered to ask him about Anakin’s training; his mind seemed to be already made up that everything was fine. When the man got an idea in his head there was no trying to talk him out of it. He’d always been this way. Obi-Wan was silent, not about to try and change things now.

Qui-Gon sighed and looked back up toward the stars. “That one is Sullust.”

“I don’t care,” Obi-Wan said. “I’ve tried my best, but I can’t seem to train any self control into him. Now that you’re finally here, tell me what to do about that. How can I train a child who can’t seem to get through a week without a tantrum? How can I trust him on a mission?”

Qui-Gon looked at him, apparently waiting for him to continue.

“And don’t say ‘patience,’” Obi-Wan said.

“You didn’t ask me here for my counsel, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said, turning his gaze toward the sky again. “Tell me what it is you want.”

Obi-Wan had to take a moment to compose himself. “I would like...I would like you to release me from my promise,” It had taken all of his strength to say it. “Please.”

“I can’t,” Qui-Gon said. There was a finalness in his voice that wasn’t unfamiliar. The last time Obi-Wan had heard it, he’d been arguing about his master about Anakin, practically begging him to let the matter go. But there was no moving Qui-Gon, once his mind was made up.

“Can’t or won’t?” Obi-Wan snapped.

“I can’t,” Qui-Gon said more softly, now moving toward Obi-Wan. 

“Why not?”

“Because it’s too late. Even if I were to release you, you’d never release yourself.”

In his heart, Obi-Wan knew it was true. The truth of it sat on him like a weight.

He found himself suddenly pulled into an embrace.

“I can’t do this, Master,” he said, hugging Qui-Gon a bit tentatively. It had been so long. “ I’m sorry, but I don’t know how. I will fail.”

A statement like that would never have been tolerated by Qui-Gon (or any master for that matter) during his apprenticeship. Obi-Wan had been so conditioned against negative self-talk that he had a hundred different rebukes at the ready for himself when such thoughts popped up, as they still did from time to time.  _ If you look for failure then you will surely find it. _

But Qui-Gon didn’t say anything like that. He pulled him in tighter, and his voice was gentle. “There  _ is _ hope, Obi-Wan. Please believe me.”

“How? How is there hope?”

“You love him,” Qui-Gon said, as if this were a simple and obvious thing.

A knot in his chest seemed to loosen at those words, and Obi-Wan couldn’t hold back his tears. He was embarrassed and a part of him wanted to turn away, wriggle out of Qui-Gon’s arms, yet he found he could not.

“Where have you been?” he whispered. “We needed you.”

Qui-Gon didn’t answer that, but stroked the back of Obi-Wan’s head. “Remember the cave? I want you to take Anakin there.”

Obi-Wan pulled away finally and looked his master in the face. “He’s not ready.”

“How do you know?” He brushed Obi-Wan’s cheek with his hand. “He may surprise you.”

Obi-Wan looked at him skeptically. Somewhere in one of the nearby trees, one of the Helian nightbirds gave a loud shriek.

“Don’t be afraid to let him fail. He must learn how to. It may teach him more than success.”

“I understand.” 

Qui-Gon smiled at him gently. “I must go, Obi-Wan. It will be a long time before we speak again. But the Force will be with you.”

“You died,” Obi-Wan said sadly, as if suddenly realizing. 

The nightbird shrieked again, louder. With a start, Obi-Wan opened his eyes and found himself on the floor of his apartments, He had let himself drift off while meditating, a childish mistake and one he wasn’t accustomed to making.

Anakin wasn’t in the apartment - he could sense that, although he could also feel that the boy was close by. Though he still felt cross with Anakin running off like he had, he was glad his padawan wasn’t around to have seen him face down, asleep on the floor. He would have found it either hilarious or concerning. Both, maybe.

Obi-Wan righted himself and took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. He thought something of Qui-Gon’s presence still lingered around him. He had felt this before and it always made him uneasy. Though Jedi believed a person lost their conscious will upon death, they held also that nothing was ever truly lost in the Cosmic Force, that echoes of a person’s life and being remained alive in some sense and could be felt. But to try and hold onto such echoes, to commune with them, he knew could be perilous for a Jedi. A path to darkness and delusion.

Such a strange dream, and a little disturbing. It was his own neediness and attachment coming through that disturbed him more than anything. The way he had clung to Qui-Gon. The way he’d begged to be released from his duties. Is that really who he was, at his core?

He’d been taught not to think much of dreams, not to hold onto them or to put too much faith in them. The promises of dreams were often false, misleading, another doorway to delusion for a Jedi. Yet, read correctly he knew they could provide some insight as well. He would have to meditate on it more deeply.

There would be no returning to sleep for him tonight.


	9. The Vergence

Anakin knew he was awake, but refused to open his eyes for a few seconds. He was still tired and might have let himself fall back asleep if not for the incessant clanging of the breakfast bell. How many times did they have to ring it? He groaned and sat up, for a moment forgetting he had fallen asleep in Eraan’s room. He hadn’t meant to. 

Eraan himself was already up and in the process of slipping into a fresh shirt.

He looked over at Anakin and smiled. “Can’t wait to get some real food. Are you coming?”

Anakin thought for a moment, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He hadn’t even taken his boots off last night, and he felt stiff and grubby. The slightest musty whiff of dentherium still clung to his tunic. He was certainly hungry, but Obi-Wan was sure to be at breakfast. Thinking about that gave his stomach that twisted feeling again.

“I’m going to go back to my rooms,” Anakin said, getting up. “I need a shower.”

“You don’t want to see your master right now, huh?” Eraan asked. “I guess I don’t blame you.”

Anakin walked to the door, declining to answer. “I’ll see you later, okay?”  _ if Obi-Wan doesn’t kill me _ , he added to himself.

Eraan nodded. “Yeah. Not like I’m going anywhere.”

Anakin made his way back upstairs and entered the now-empty guest suite. Obi-Wan had, true to his conscientious nature, cleaned up the broken bowl and placed the fruit in a neat pile on the counter top. Anakin grabbed a knobby pinkish purple one and devoured it quickly before heading to the shower. 

He was still tired and would have preferred to go back to bed, but it felt good to get clean and he took his time. At the Temple they were encouraged to take short showers. Water on Coruscant, while not exactly a scarce resource, was still at a premium compared to other worlds due to the enormous populace. Anakin figured it didn’t matter so much here, so he savored the water for nearly a half hour, something that had never ceased feeling like a luxury to him after growing up on a desert planet.

By the time he got out of the shower he could sense that his master had returned to the apartment. Anakin changed into his clean set of clothes, taking his time. He studied himself in the mirror as he slowly redid his braid. When was the last time he’d redone, anyway? He knew he was supposed to rebraid it everyday, but he always found it an easy thing to forget unless it was coming undone, and when he did rebraid it, the task was usually performed in a hurry and something he considered a pain. 

When he’d first become Obi-Wan’s padawan, his short braid had tickled his neck unbearably for the first couple weeks or so and he did not see what the use of it was. It seemed to be one of those inscrutable things that the Jedi Order just required, that you weren’t supposed to question.

He remembered now what Obi-Wan had told him when Anakin had asked what the braid was for: 

_ One strand for the apprentice, one for the master, one for the Force. _ All of them entwined tightly together, inseparable.

He hadn’t thought about that in a long time.

There was no denying the truth that he had not been a very good apprentice lately. He’d been rebellious and he’d been insolent. If Obi-Wan did feel stuck with Anakin, who could blame him with the way Anakin acted sometimes? And yet for all that, his master had always treated him with kindness and patience. Anakin knew that Obi-Wan, who could be critical and even strict when he wanted to be, still often let him get away with more than some masters would. He resolved to do better today and the first step was to take whatever he had coming to him for his behavior last night.

He came out of the refresher to see his master standing by the window. 

“I’m surprised you weren’t at breakfast,” Obi-Wan said, turning toward him with a neutral expression. “Have you had anything at all to eat since yesterday?”

“Not much,” Anakin said. “A little.”

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“I slept okay,” Anakin answered quietly.

Obi-Wan gave him a long look. “Come here, Anakin,” he said at last.

Anakin shuffled over, wishing he could feel something of his master’s mood or intentions through the Force, but things felt muddled and uncertain. Obi-Wan wasn’t always easy to read at the best of times. 

He didn’t expect to be pulled into a hug, but that’s what happened. He couldn’t help but feel some comfort and reassurance in his master’s arms, even though previous experience had taught him that getting a spontaneous hug from Obi-Wan did not always mean being off the hook. It could in fact mean quite the opposite. Anakin thought about the training mission on Dianoga a few months back, and Obi-Wan’s reaction when he had attempted to climb a three hundred foot sea cliff without equipment during one of the worst storms of the decade.

“Are you mad at me?” Anakin mumbled into the folds of his master’s tunic. 

“No,” Obi-Wan sighed, releasing him and looking down at him seriously. “I’m not. But I really wish you wouldn’t run off like that when I’m trying to talk to you.”

“I’m sorry,” Anakin said. He meant it. “Promise I won’t do it again.”

Obi-Wan looked just a bit skeptical at this. “Even when the conversation gets difficult?”

Anakin nodded.

“I’ll hold you to that.” He squeezed Anakin’s shoulder. “But, we’ll consider this matter behind us.”

Relieved, Anakin couldn’t help but wrap his arms around Obi-Wan again.

“I have the day planned out for us,” Obi-Wan said after a moment, releasing himself gently from his padawan’s death grip . “An earlier start would have been better, but no matter.”

“Where are we going?” Anakin asked.

“First we’re going to the refectory to get you something real to eat,” Obi-Wan answered.

“But where are we going after that?”

“One thing at a time.” Obi-Wan’s voice had taken on its familiar tone of fondness and exasperation. Anakin smiled, following his master out the door. Things were beginning to feel back to normal.

* * *

  
  
  


Things being back to normal made Anakin feel incredibly hungry. Fortunately there was more than enough leftover food from breakfast. They sat alone at one of the long tables in the dining hall while Anakin feasted on boiled eggs, porridge, fruit and a surprisingly varied assortment of baked goods.

“I was pleased to hear that you and Eraan at least worked out your differences,” Obi-Wan remarked. “We Jedi have no reason to quarrel with one another.”

“Yes, Master, I know. We’re friends now,” Anakin said earnestly. It seemed almost funny that only a couple days before, he and Eraan had been shoving one another to the ground. Strange how they had gone from there to friends so quickly. They were friends, weren’t they? Anakin supposed they qualified.

“This is way better than Temple food, isn’t it?” Anakin remarked, eating his second slice of bread with honey.

“Now, don’t overdo it,” Obi-Wan said, sipping his tea. “You don’t want too full a stomach for what we’re going to be doing.”

Anakin grabbed a napkin and wiped his hands off. “Will you tell me what we’re going to be doing, now?”

“I thought we’d do some meditation first,” Obi-Wan said with a smile that might have been slightly teasing.

“Oh,” Anakin said, trying not to sound too disappointed. He picked up his tray of dishes, but before he could reach the kitchen, Coral appeared in the doorway and took his tray from him, her eyes twinkling.

“I’ll take this. Sounds like you’re off to have a busy day. I heard your master is taking you to the vergence.” Her voice was low and conspiratorial as if letting him in on a secret.

“He won’t tell me anything,” Anakin shrugged, wondering what the  _ vergence _ was. He’d heard the term before at the Temple, but had never been quite clear on its meaning. Just that it was something to do with the Force. There was something about the way Coral said it that made it sound quite mysterious, intriguing. Something more interesting than regular morning meditation. 

* * *

  
  
  


Obi-Wan led Anakin around the back of a garage at the far side of the compound.

“Now, don’t get too excited.” He pulled the cover off a couple of worn and well-used looking speeder bikes.

Upon seeing them, Anakin felt far from excited. The paint was chipped, the seats splitting and one of them had a large dent. “These look...old.”

“Yes, they were here when I was your age, and they were old even then. But they’ll serve our purpose for today. ” Obi-Wan got on one of the bikes and handed Anakin a pair of goggles that had been hanging over the handlebars.

Anakin seated himself on the other bike and started it up. As old as it was, his philosophy was that an old speeder bike was better than no speeder bike, and felt grateful that he and Obi-Wan wouldn’t have to share. Anyway, surely they’d let him work on these; he was sure he could bring them up to his standard in a week or two.

“It sits kind of low,” he remarked. “Maybe I could take a look -”

But Obi-Wan had already taken off and was heading toward the road. 

“Hey!” cried Anakin indignantly and sped off to catch up with his master.

The bikes were about as slow as Anakin had expected, but they ran smoothly, and Anakin enjoyed the ride. After a few minutes on the main road, Obi-Wan turned off and they headed down into a wooded area where the terrain grew steep and hilly. They slowed down next to the head of a trail and Obi-Wan motioned for Anakin to get off his bike.

“You gave me the slower one,” Anakin sulked, taking off his goggles. 

“Don't be silly,” Obi-Wan said. He started heading briskly up the trail, clearly expecting Anakin to follow.

“What’s a vergence, Master?” Anakin asked, running after him.

“A vergence in the Force? It’s a physical point where the activity of the Force is particularly strong or concentrated. Some say it’s a point in space and time where the Living Force and the Cosmic Force are in perfect harmony.”

“What causes it?”

“There’ve been many books written on the subject. But Qui-Gon would tell you the answer is the Will of the Force.”

“How do you tell what the Will of the Force is?” Anakin asked.

“That’s the eternal question, isn’t it?” Obi-Wan said simply. “I’m afraid I can’t answer that one for you this afternoon. Now, quiet your mind if you can. You will need to before you can enter.”

They continued up the trail, which had become steep and rocky, hugged on either side by large trees. Once in a while, through the trees, they could get a view of the plains below them, a few small lakes shining in the distance. Anakin thought he saw a herd of dentherium moving in the distance, but there was no time for a closer look.

The trail seemed to halt abruptly. Instead of switching back again up the cliff side that loomed above them, it ended at the edge of a steep drop-off.

“This can’t be it,” Anakin said, looking around.

Obi-Wan didn’t say anything.

Anakin took a deep breath, clearing his mind as Obi-Wan had told him to earlier. It made sense that this place they were going was secret. Jedi loved secrets.

After a few slow inhalations and exhalations, he reached out and felt the Force around him. Nothing felt particularly strange or different, but he did feel pulled toward the cliffside to his right. He put his hand to the rock, feeling it, running his fingers over the surface until he came to a spot where it was unusually smooth. His palm seemed to grow warmer as he rested it there.

Obi-Wan stepped forward and placed his hand on the rock near Anakin’s. “Together works best. This place is not meant to be entered alone.”

An image of an opening where the rock now was sprung into Anakin’s mind as if someone else had placed it there. He focused on it, and through the Force could feel Obi-Wan doing the same. He kept his eyes closed, concentrating even harder as the stone under his hand started to vibrate slightly. He could feel it moving now, gently brushing past his hand as if something was pulling it away, back into the cliffside. Anakin was used to willing objects to move, but this was as if the stone itself wanted to move aside, and he was simply giving it permission. He’d never felt anything like it.

When he opened his eyes, there was darkness before him where stone had been before.

“After you,” Obi-Wan said.


	10. The Stone

Anakin stepped forward into the darkness. He pulled the lightsaber off his belt and was about to ignite it when he felt Obi-Wan’s hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t. It’s better not to. We’ll need to feel our way through.” His master’s voice was somewhat hushed, as if to not disturb someone - or something.

“Really, Master?” Anakin asked, but he clipped the weapon back to his belt.

“We’ll be all right. Trust the Force,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin felt skeptical of moving through wherever they were in complete darkness, but knew he needed to trust his master’s judgement. Obi-Wan had obviously been here before. He cleared his mind again, reaching out and trying to get a feel for the place. He’d been through such exercises before, either with a blindfold or in a dark room. He could handle this.

Slowly, he began to move forward. He wanted to ask Obi-Wan what they were supposed to fine here, or do

There was a faint clatter like a rock falling to the ground, a pair of what looked like red eyes flashed for a moment, piercing the blackness and startling Anakin. Instinctively he reached for his lightsaber again.

“Don’t,” Obi-Wan said sharply. Anakin pulled his hand back.

“What is that?” He whispered.

“Keep moving, my Padawan. They won’t hurt you.”

Again, Anakin began to clear his mind, focusing only on moving one foot in front of the other. The cave was warm, but the air was fresh and moved a bit, suggesting there were openings nearby. He could hear the rush of water in the distance. Once in a while, he’d catch the glint of red eyes off to the side or directly in front of him, accompanied sometimes by a kind of clicking sound, but they were always gone in an instant.

After a couple minutes, something - perhaps the breeze coming from his right side and the sound of the water- told him to turn.

At last, the light of day shone in front of him as a spot in the distance. He smiled, moving faster now, and soon they were at the other end of the cave, and emerged onto another cliffside looking out toward a tall waterfall spilling down into a clear pool below. Out of which rose, arranged in a circle, five stone pillars of varying heights. All around the steep sides of the hills loomed over them, covered with tall trees and vines. To his right Anakin noted a rough, winding staircase hewn out of the cliff side leading down to the waterfall’s base.

There was a strange feeling of tranquility here, something like one of the meditation gardens in the Temple.

“I understand now,” Anakin said, taking in the sight. “This is like the spot the Temple was built on. It feels the same.”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said. “There are many such places throughout the Galaxy.”

Obi-Wan led the way now, Anakin following him as he made his way down the stairs to the edge of the pool.

“The Jedi who discovered this place used to meditate atop these pillars, sometimes for several rotations at a time,” Obi-Wan said. “Qui-Gon used to bring me here to do the same.”

“For several days?” Anakin asked incredulously. He liked the way it felt here, but he didn’t know if he was up for several days of meditation.

Obi-Wan smiled patiently. “No. The longest I ever stayed up there was a few hours. We’ll see where the day takes us.”

Anakin looked up at the pillars. They were well worn but not crumbling, all of them etched with ancient writing and symbols.

“Choose whichever you like.” Obi-Wan had sat down and begun to remove his boots.

Anakin removed his boots and socks quickly and waded into the pool. The water came up his knees and was cool but not frigid. Without hesitation he chose the tallest pillar which was about 15 meters high, and quickly climbed up. The top of the pillar was flat and just large enough for a human to sit comfortably, an Anakin settled into a familiar crossed legged position. He looked down into the pool below. It was exceptionally clear, like the fountains in the Temple gardens.

He looked toward the waterfall gushing down off a tall ledge above them. They were close enough that he could feel its spray falling lightly around him, yet from up on his pillar this place seemed strangely quiet, as if someone had muted the roar of the falls somehow.

Obi-Wan had chosen the one beside his, the second tallest. “Are you up for linked meditation?” he asked Anakin. 

Anakin nodded. He and his master usually struggled with linked meditation as it required a tranquility and acceptance he normally struggled to find in himself. But he thought in this place, somehow it might be easier.

They started, as usual, by syncing up their breathing. Even this, sometimes, was hard for Anakin, as it was hard for him to match Obi-Wan’s slow, long, patient breaths. His exhalations were often too short. Sometimes they couldn’t even get past this point in their meditations together. But today, they managed to find it. Next, they would sync their heartbeats, which was trickier, as Anakin needed to be mindful of his own breathing and that of Obi-Wan’s, and to feel and see his master through the Force as well, to _feel_ the beating of their hearts at once.

When the breath and the hearts of two beings were in alignment, the LIving Force flowed more purely between them and linked them to one another. It was so, now. Something had opened up; the barriers that separated each from the other had been gently moved aside. Anakin could feel Obi-Wan’s unique presence in the Force flowing through him and merging with his own thoughts and feelings. Often when they got to this point he would almost immediately break the link and shut down, pulling once more back into himself.

 _What are you afraid of?_ Obi-Wan would always ask.

Anakin never had an answer, and Obi-Wan never prodded him for one.

Today was different. He did not shut down, or put his shields up. He was with Obi-Wan and Obi-Wan was with him. Where did one end and the other begin?

Images flashed through his mind - memories that were not his own, yet so real that they might have been. A woman with golden hair falling around her shoulders - not a Jedi, but someone important. Maybe he would ask Obi-Wan who she was, later. But most of what came to him were just feelings. Feelings Obi-Wan didn’t talk about with him - or anyone, maybe.

How long exactly they stayed in their meditation Anakin didn’t know, but the sun began to warm him more and more. At last he began to feel Obi-Wan pulling slowly away out of the meditation. Anakin took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

“That is how it should be,” Obi-Wan said. “Any revelations?”

“You worry a lot,” Anakin told him. “I knew before, kind of. But I didn’t know how much.”

Obi-Wan smiled sadly. “Indeed. This is something I struggle with.”

“You worry about _me_.”

“I do, sometimes.”

“But you believe in me.” This last statement he made almost to himself.

“Of course I do,” Obi-Wan said simply.

Anakin sat quietly for a moment, pondering this. A person could tell you about their feelings, their thoughts. But when you could actually feel them for yourself - he was beginning to understand what a gift that was. What a gift it was to be a Jedi. And out of all the Jedi, Obi-Wan was his master. That was the greatest gift. 

Obi-Wan had begun to climb down off his pillar. “Come down. I have another task for you before we leave. And it may take some time.”

Anakin scrambled down his pillar, curious. After they had put their boots back on, Obi-Wan him up a narrow path that began at the pools and edge and up behind the frothy curtain of the waterfall. Anakin had not been able to see it, but there was an opening here in the side of the cliff. 

“We’re going in there?” Anakin asked. He peered in, but it was too dark inside to see anything.

“You are,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin nodded. He wasn’t scared to go in alone, and in fact relished the thought of having an adventure all to himself, without his master there to administer his usual barrage of admonishments and caution. It would be like the Gathering on Ilum.

“You should find some small red stones in there,” Obi-Wan continued. “I’d like you to bring me one or two.”

“That’s all?” Anakin asked. “Is there a monster I have to fight or something?”

“Not that I know of,” Obi-Wan answered.

“I’m ready,” Anakin said. 

“Good. And like the other cave, try not to turn your lightsaber on. But you’ll find it’s not as dark as the other place, once you get inside.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin said. With one last look at Obi-Wan, he stepped into the cave. Almost at once, the sound of the waterfall became eerily muffled, so much that he could hear the trickling of small streams falling down the stone around him. A few steps in, and he understood what Obi-Wan had meant about it not being so dark. Here and there, growing out of the walls of the cave were clusters of large mushrooms. They glowed faintly, but enough that Anakin could see a few steps ahead of him.

He looked around the cavern, noting that it was spacious at the entrance, but the ceiling got lower the further he got in, and darker. At last he had to crouch and then crawl on his hands and knees to reach the back of the cave. He stuck his hand out in front of him to feel ahead, tempted to reach for his lightsaber, despite what Obi-Wan had told him. But something told him that wouldn’t be a good idea.

At last his hand met with the stone wall of the cave, and the ceiling was so low now that Anakin found he could not even sit up without bumping his head. He felt around more until he could feel and sense another opening - a crevice, really. He took a deep breath and crawled into it, hoping that it would widen back out instead of just getting narrower. He had read about people who got stuck venturing through caves like this, trapped forever in narrow passageways.

 _That won’t happen to me,_ he told himself.

He found himself crawling through a long tunnel which mercifully was not getting any narrower. It was just about as wide which could accommodate him comfortably - besides the fact that the rough stone of the ground was scratching against his palms. After a couple minutes a faint grey light appeared in the distance and soon Anakin was emerging into another chamber, one where he could actually stand up.

This place was wildly different from the cave behind the waterfall. Light trickled in from somewhere above - cracks in the cave’s ceiling. Vines hung down from the same cracks, forming strange curtains of greenery here and there, and even more of those mushroom clusters grew out of the cave walls. The walls themselves were covered with paintings which Anakin knew must be hundreds or even thousands of years old as they depicted ancient, strange creatures long extinct on Helia. Serpentine animals with six sets of pointed claws, shaggy four legged beasts with huge eyes and long pincers.

He didn’t linger too long looking at the paintings. He had a task to do.

Anakin moved forward deeper into the chamber, noting how warm it was. Several small pools -hot springs- dotted the floor of the cavern, so hot that steam rose up out of them. He walked slowly and carefully, feeling the ground and making sure it was stable and wouldn’t crumble underneath him, sending him into the scalding water. Something like that had happened to a padawan Anakin knew at the Temple, and she would have surely died if her master hadn’t been a skillful healer.

Something caught his eye at the back of the cave. A stone basin balanced on a roughly hewn short stone pillar. As he approached it, he could see it was glowing faintly. Anakin peered into it, seeing it was full of clear water. And the bottom of the basin was covered by small, shiny red stones. Those must be what Obi-Wan wanted him to get. He held his hand over the water, trying to gauge the temperature. There was no steam rising off it, and it was still. But when he tentatively dipped his hand in, he pulled it back immediately. The water may not have been boiling, but it felt as though it was. He looked around for something he might scoop the stones out with, but found nothing. But no matter. There was always the Force.

Anakin held out his hand and willed one of the stones to rise to the surface of the water, which it easily did. But once it was about to break the surface, it stopped suddenly and would not go any further, as if the surface of the water was hard, like glass. Frustrated, he dropped his hand and the stone also dropped, resting again with its companions at the bottom of the basin. 

Next, he tried lifting the water itself out of the bowl. Moving water was always a little tricky, but doable. This water, however, felt heavier in the Force than anything he’d ever tried to lift before. And once he’d lifted a speeder just to see if he could.

Next he attempted to lift the basin itself, hoping to turn it upside down and spill out the contents. But try as he might, it would not budge even a little.

Of course there was some kind of trick. There was always a trick.

Anakin was good at puzzles, though he didn’t particularly like them. He stood there, annoyed, wondering why he couldn’t just fight something.

He wondered if the point was to just thrust his hand into the basin and endure the pain of the scalding water for a moment. It seemed like more of a test than the Sith than the Jedi, as far as Anakin knew. Would Obi-Wan really ask him to hurt himself just for a small stone? It didn’t seem likely, but how else would he get it? Perhaps the test was to protect himself using the Force, somehow. There must be a way. All he knew was that he could not leave the cave without this.

Anakin closed his eyes and concentrated for a few moments, breathing in and out and readying himself for the trial. He tried not to think about the pictures he’d seen in his healing classes of burn victims with their skin peeling away easily, in sheets.

He was about to thrust his hand in, when he heard a voice behind him.

“Anakin.”

He put his hand down and turned. A figure was stepping out of the shadows to his left. A tall man. He recognized him.

“Master Qui-Gon?”

“Your bravery is commendable,” said the Jedi Master. “But your master didn’t send you in here to suffer.”

“Are you a spirit?” Anakin asked, amazed. 

Obi-Wan had told him that speaking with the dead - or even just seeing or hearing them - was impossible and almost always some kind of illusion. But Qui-Gon looked and sounded so real. Just like the day he’d met him in Mos Espa. Spirits in legends and stories always seemed to be made out of vapor, floating around and speaking in whispered voices, if at all. But the Qui-Gon Jinn before him was solid of form and utterly human.

“Ani, I’m sorry I left you,” Qui-Gon said, as if he hadn’t heard the question. “It would have been so much easier for you if I’d stayed.”

Anakin shook his head. There was a lump forming in his throat, a strangling tightness. “It wasn’t your fault,” he whispered.

“Obi-Wan means well,” Qui-Gon continued. “But in some ways, he is lacking. You will soon be too powerful for him to handle. You know this.”

Anakin looked at Qui-Gon confused. Although he’d missed the older master terribly, he couldn’t imagine his life without Obi-Wan. He didn’t want to. “I don’t know what you mean. He’s my master. He’s always been there.”

Qui-Gon didn’t answer this, but went to the basin and put his hand in the water as easily as if it was tepid. Anakin watched in wonder as he pulled out a red stone. 

“Someday you will return here and you will be able to do this,” Qui-Gon said. “But today I will reward you for your courage.”

He held out the stone to Anakin.

“Are you sure?” Anakin said warily. “I thought with this kind of thing...you know, I’m supposed to do it for myself. Figure out a way.” 

It didn’t seem right that someone should just do the task for him. At the same time, Obi-Wan hadn’t specified what Anakin was supposed to do. Just that he was supposed to get one of these stones. And why shouldn’t he be rewarded? He held out his hand, but then pulled it back. Something about this was just...too easy.

“There is no way,” Qui-Gon said sternly. “Let go of your pride. You must accept what the Force gives you.”

“Teach me how you did it,” Anakin said eagerly. “Can’t I learn?”

Qui-Gon regarded him fiercely. “I cannot teach you anything. Perhaps I should never have brought you to the Temple for training to begin with. I’ve watched you, these past few years. You are stubborn and angry. You don’t have a Jedi’s self-control.”

Hot tears pricked at Anakin’s eyes at those words. He’d never felt so confused in his life. He looked down at his boots, a muddled stream of thoughts racing through his head. There was a feeling in the back of his mind that somehow this wasn’t Qui-Gon, but something sent to throw him off track. But the sensible thought was elusive, and the haze of his emotions seemed to be overriding all other thoughts.

“Just take it,” Qui-Gon said, a bit more gently now. "Trust me."

“I’m sorry,” Anakin said. “But I think I’ll just have to go tell Master Obi-Wan I can’t do it. I’m not ready for this.” The tears which had been slowly welling up in his eyes began to spill down his cheeks. He hardly ever failed at anything, and the thought of having to walk out of the cave without the stone Obi-Wan had asked for made him feel slightly ill. But it was the only thing to do.

When he looked up, Qui-Gon had disappeared and Anakin was standing once more in the gloom of the cave alone. Anakin took a moment to wipe his eyes before heading back to the crevice from which he’d entered the cavern. He dreaded going back to his master empty-handed. Perhaps he should have just taken the stone. _No_ , he told himself. His instincts had told him not to, and didn’t Obi-Wan always tell him to trust his instincts? Hadn’t even Qui-Gon said that, in life?

He crawled despondently through the dark tunnel into the first cave. Just as he was about to stand, something suddenly hit the back of his hand as if being dropped on it. He picked it up, finding it smooth and warm. The cave was too dim for him to see what it was, but even so, his stomach fluttered a bit. He stood and made his way quickly to the cave’s entrance, where the rushing sound of the waterfall greeted him. As soon as he got outside, he opened his hand and looked down, holding his breath. In his palm sat a small red stone like those in the basin. This one was etched with a little white symbol which Anakin did not recognize.

He had done it.

* * *

Anakin ran to the other side of the waterfall, looking around for Obi-Wan. He saw that his master had climbed up onto the meditation pillar again. He ran down to the pool, but by the time he reached it Obi-Wan had already climbed down.

“You look excited. I take that to mean you have what I asked for?” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin held out his hand, showing his stone. Obi-Wan looked down at him and nodded. “You did well. Do you know why you were able to attain it? It can’t have been easy.”

Anakin thought about it, still confused. He had still not fully processed what had happened back in there, or who he had talked to, or what it wanted. He did not especially want to tell Obi-Wan about Qui-Gon - or whatever it had been that looked like Qui-Gon - either. He still didn't know what to make of that.

“It is a strange place, and what you saw in there is for you alone,” Obi-Wan sighed, looking back toward the waterfall. “You should think and meditate on what happened. The meanings of these ordeals don’t always become clear until some time has passed.”

Anakin nodded, and for the second time that day he found himself in his master’s arms. He squeezed back, a bit surprised. This was not expected Obi-Wan behavior.

“You’re huggy today,” Anakin observed.

His master let go. “I am proud of you. You did some difficult things today, Padawan.”

Anakin rolled his stone between his fingers, contemplating his master’s words. “Guess so. Today wasn’t really what I expected.”

Obi-Wan squeezed his shoulder and began to walk up toward the cave where they had come in. “We should head back to the farm. Sun’s already going down.”

Anakin followed his master up the stairs, looking forward now to the speeder bike ride back. Maybe on the trip back to the farm he could think about ways to make the bikes faster. Obi-Wan disappeared into the cave, but before he stepped in, Anakin took one more look back at the waterfall and smiled to himself.

For the first time since landing on this planet, he felt glad that they’d come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of Part 1. Thanks to everyone who has been reading this, especially those of you who have left comments! It may be a bit before I start posting Part 2, as I'm going to try to write several chapters first, but I am working on it.


	11. The Library and the Bean Fields

Usually when Obi-Wan entered the old library he was greeted with a hushed silence. Even the birdsong which should have been loud and piercing through the open windows often seemed muted somehow. But when he entered the library today from one of the outside entrances, he was instead greeted with the sounds of his padawan’s rather loud and high spirited voice telling someone a story.

He moved closer to where Anakin was sitting at one of the long library tables, ostensibly studying. Sitting on the ledge of the window was Eraan, not at all to his surprise. 

Eraan had been hanging around Anakin as much as he could for the past week. Obi-Wan should have been more annoyed with this, but he hadn’t mustered the will to shoo the boy away as much as he should have. He couldn’t help but feel pleased that his padawan had made a friend, especially after the rough start they’d gotten off to. Anakin had always had difficulties forming close bonds with the other students at the Temple, something that had worried Obi-Wan a little. There didn’t seem to be much to be done about it, though; Anakin may have been a friendly and outgoing boy, but so many friendships between Jedi were forged in their earliest days in the creche. Through no fault of his own, Anakin had always been something of an outsider.

Anakin stopped mid-sentence when he saw his master approaching, offering him the sheepish smile he always seemed to wear when he was caught doing something wrong but wasn’t quite sorry for it.

“Eraan, do you have somewhere you need to be?” Obi-Wan asked the boy in the window.

“I’m on a break,” said Eraan simply.

_I’m sure you are,_ Obi-Wan thought

“Well, Anakin is not,” he said.

“Aw, Master,” Anakin said, resting his chin on his hand as if utterly exhausted. “I’ve been here all morning.”

Obi-Wan walked over to where his apprentice was sitting and peered down over his shoulder at his datapad. He frowned.“Yes, a whole two hours. And you don’t have much to show for it, from the looks of things.”

Eraan was looking on curiously and made no signs of budging from his window seat.

“You can stay here,” Obi-Wan told him. “But if you do, you will join Anakin in his studies.”

To his surprise, Eraan smiled and hopped down off the ledge. “Okay, what are we learning?”

“Anakin is writing a freeform essay of the history of this planet. Six thousand words,” Obi-wan replied, surprised at the boy’s enthusiastic response.

Eraan’s smile widened as he moved toward the seat next to Anakin.

“Oh, no.” Obi-Wan shook his head at him. “Anakin is far too distracted. You’ll need to sit over there.” He gestured toward a table on the other side of the library. He looked down at the boy, wondering if he’d take this opportunity to flee, but Eraan only nodded solemnly. Obi-Wan picked up a couple books and an extra datapad and handed them to him.

“Aw, Master,” said Anakin again.

Obi-Wan ruffled his padawan’s hair. “Get to work, please. I’ll be back in two hours to see what you have for me.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin said, not unhappily. 

Obi-Wan smiled to himself as he left the library. About a week had passed since their journey to the vergence, and things had been fairly smooth between them. They’d settled into a routine of recreation, study and work, just as Obi-Wan had hoped they would. There was balance. The only challenge now would be in keeping it.

* * *

Obi-Wan had known it was only a matter of time before he’d be recruited to help out in the fields. It had been naive of him to think he might be able to escape it. This was AgriCorps afterall. The Jedi who lived here spent the majority of their time tending to the crops - much of the other work on the farm could be done by droids and hired farm hands. The goal in the fields of Agricorps farms was to connect with the plants through the Force and persuade them to yield as much fruit as possible without causing them strain, often in conditions which were not typically optimal for farming. To do this well required years of practice, and even more patience, but any Jedi could help.

He approached the bean fields with a little trepidation, though there was probably little reason for it. He’d done this before, and he had gotten better at it, over the years. But communing with plants had never been his strong suit, and not exactly something he looked forward to. He probably never would. Obi-Wan’s natural connection to the Living Force had always been a little hit-or-miss. It was more solid now after years of training, but as a boy tapping into it had always felt a bit nerve wracking. The Force around him in the present was always changing, shifting, full of different, often confusing feelings. The varied, dancing energy given off by all living things at any given moment. It was hard sometimes to make sense of it. He much preferred losing himself in the infinite Oneness of the Cosmic Force. 

To his credit, but to his padawan’s disappointment, Qui-Gon had made Obi-Wan spend a lot of time in the fields when they visited Helia, honing his connection with the Living Force through the growing things around him.

“ _All we have to do is find the unhappy ones and see if we can’t make them a bit happier_ ,” Qui-Gon had said the first time they’d come here. “ _But it’s not something you become an expert in overnight. Be patient with yourself_.”

Obi-Wan walked through the rows of crops, centering himself and getting a feel for the place. Unlike animals, which were easier to understand, plants had a subtle energy and it was difficult to pick out the signature of a single plant in the Force, especially when there were thousands of them grouped so closely together. He picked one plant at random and stood beside it, caressing its leaves gently. He thought of his botany teacher at the Temple who’d worked in the AgriCorps for years before coming to teach at the Temple. Now that was someone who’d understood both the physical and subtle nature of plants.

“ _You can’t expect them to react like something with a nervous system_ ,” she’d told her students. “ _But they have their own way of interacting with the world. You need to meet them on their terms_.”

Obi-Wan sat with his chosen bean plant for a while, doing his breathing exercises and meditations on openness that Qui-Gon had taught him so many years ago.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he heard a woman’s gentle voice behind him. 

“This one is very happy with you.”

He turned to see Coral, her red eyes shining like Hapan rubies in the bright sunlight.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Obi-Wan said. “If it hated me, I don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference.”

“It does take some practice,” Coral said. “But you may have some natural aptitude. Your padawan was telling me the other day that you are quite good with animals, after all.”

“They’ve just always liked me,” Obi-Wan said. “Nothing I’d really consider a skill.”

Coral nodded. “But isn’t that wonderful? Sometimes just being yourself is enough. Being present. I’ve found that with the plants, if you try and push and probe them too much, even if you mean well, it has the opposite effect. They’ll stop producing fruit, sometimes. They often just want you to be with them, as you were.”

Obi-Wan stood up. “That’s a lesson my master would have loved, but I think you’ve put it more succinctly than he would have. Did you ever meet Qui-Gon?”

“Once or twice, when I was much younger,” Coral said. “I started out here, but spent several years on Darmasco until the facility closed there. I only got transferred back two years ago, and that was after -”

She stopped herself.

“After he died,” Obi-Wan said gently. “It’s all right.”

She smiled. “I’m glad I got to meet him, even if it was a long time ago. He was very kind. You’re fortunate to have had him for a master.”

“I was,” Obi-Wan agreed. “We challenged each other quite a lot, but I think for the best.” He looked up toward the sun which was getting high in the sky. It must be getting close to midday, and he had hoped to check on Anakin before lunch. “I must be getting back to see how my padawan is doing, but I shall return today.”

“I’ll walk with you,” Coral said.

They headed toward the cluster of buildings that had once made up the old academy.

“How was your trip to the vergence?” Coral asked after a few moments of silence. Her voice, Obi-Wan noted, was not as bright as usual.

“Anakin learned a great deal,” Obi-Wan said. “Which is what I’d hoped for.”

“He said you sent him into the cave there.”

Obi-Wan noted a hint of disapproval in his voice. “Yes. As my master did with me when I was about his age.”

“Isn’t it...well, isn’t it filled with the Dark Side?” Coral asked. She’d stopped, and Obi-Wan did as well.

Obi-Wan looked at her curiously, not really understanding the question. “Tests for Jedi often involve facing the Dark Side,” he said. “Within and without.”

Coral dropped her gaze. “Yes. I know. It’s just that I know what that place can do to people. Kenji went in there last year and he...” She trailed off. 

“What happened?” Obi-Wan asked. He’d spoken with Kenji only in passing, and knew him only as a quiet boy of around eighteen or nineteen. He was the second youngest member of the farm after Eraan.

“Well, I don’t know. He never was terribly cheerful to begin with, but after that...he barely talks to anyone anymore.” Coral began walking again.

“Does Declan know?” Obi-Wan asked. “What does he think?”

“I’m not sure,” Coral said. “They do talk, sometimes, I think. But it must be hard for him to know what to do. With Kenji’s history and all.”

“His history?”

“I suppose it makes sense you don’t know yet,” said Coral sadly. “He’s only been here a couple years. He arrived at about the same time I came back. He was a padawan before he came here.”

“Oh?” Obi-Wan asked, surprised. As far as he knew, it was rare for padawans to join the AgriCorps. In fact, he didn’t think he’d ever heard of it. If a padawan left their apprenticeship, or was removed, they typically ended up leaving the Order altogether.

“Yes. It was awful, what happened to him. He and his master were taken hostage by a Zygerian warlord. His master was already badly injured when they were caught, and Kenji was unconscious. He woke up to seeing him being tortured to death. The Force was with him and he managed to get away, but I don’t think he ever forgave himself for letting his master die like that. The Council tried to get him another master to continue his training, but he didn’t want it. After a month at the Temple, he cut his braid off and asked to come here.”

Obi-Wan exhaled. “That is unfortunate. Perhaps he should have stayed at the Temple. They have healing programs that can help immensely.”

“Declan wants him to go back for some treatment,” Coral said. “But Kenji isn’t ready yet. He says there are too many memories there. He wants to put in some distance, he said.”

Obi-Wan wasn’t sure that was the wisest course of action, but it wasn’t his place to make that judgement. _Declan really does have his hands full here_ , he thought.

He entered the library again. To his relief and amazement, the place was silent and Eraan and Anakin were sitting at their respective tables, their heads bowed over texts. But Anakin leapt up upon seeing his master approach.

“Done!” He thrust his datapad into Obi-Wan’s hands. “Can we go outside now?”

“Not so fast,” Obi-Wan said, smiling patiently. “I’d like to review what you’ve written.” He looked over at Eraan, and reached out his arm.” Both of you.”

Eraan came forward and handed Obi-Wan his own assignment. Obi-Wan looked through it, skimming the contents. He was planning on doing a more thorough review later, but wanted to at least have an idea of what the boys had been working on.

Eraan had produced quite the essay, even longer than Obi-Wan had asked for. It was perhaps a tad overambitious, covering the whole history of human settlement on Helia - how the two main “native” tribes, the Helia and the Cheen’jo, had likely become stranded on the planet at different times thousands of years ago, how they had warred with one another through their history. The essay discussed how over the years the planet had attracted adventurous types who hunted the fearsome animals of Helia or captured them to sell offworld. When the populations of those animals had dwindled, farming on Helia had become more common and the planet less wild. The Jedi who occupied the planet and ran the school had helped negotiate a tentative peace between the clans of the Helia and Cheen’jo, even if they never could get them to join the Republic.

Eraan’s essay, aside from this, didn’t mention the Jedi presence on Helia much. But it did mention that once the school had closed, tensions between the Cheen’jo and Helia had begun to bubble up once again. The essay ended on something of a pessimistic note.

All in all, Obi-Wan was a bit surprised by Eraan’s essay. It was well written and nuanced in a way he hadn’t expected for a boy who had supposedly fallen short at the Temple.

“What about mine?” Anakin asked, breaking Obi-Wan out of his reverie.

Obi-Wan took a little less time with Anakin’s essay. It was the boy’s typical work. Accurate and to the point, if a little stilted. Anakin wrote essays grudgingly, but after years of training with Obi-Wan knew what his master expected of him, and knew how to write them well enough. Anakin had mostly covered the history of the Jedi’s presence on the planet and the school, but not much about how the Jedi had interacted with the planet as a whole or their influence on the history of Helia. Perhaps he would talk to Anakin more about that later.

“Well? Did you enjoy this exercise?” Obi-Wan asked Eraan, setting the datapads on the table.

“I guess,” Eraan said, shrugging. Clearly he was much more articulate with his writing than his speaking. 

“Has anyone ever told you your manners could use some work?” Obi-Wan asked him.

Eraan looked him in the eye. “Yeah.”

Obi-Wan held back a laugh. An odd boy, but harmless. There was something earnest and guileless about him that Obi-Wan liked. He had a feeling Qui-Gon would have liked the boy immensely. There was a reason, he felt, that the boy had been so present lately, and a reason that Obi-Wan had felt prompted to give him work to do. He would have to think about it more, and would definitely need to speak to Declan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you use Tumblr you can find me there- username: peachybitters :)


	12. Padme

Obi-Wan had been looking for Declan since leaving his afternoon session in the bean fields, and finally found him underneath a speeder in the garage, muttering quietly to himself as he worked. A speaker in the corner burbled the voice of someone reading the daily local news reports.

“Anakin will be upset you didn’t let him take care of whatever the problem is here,” he observed, looking over the assortment of tools and parts strewn around the speeder. Even his padawan might have something to say about this mess- and that was saying something.

“Yeah, well,” Declan said, sliding out from under the speeder and sitting up. “He lost his chance. He wanted to go help with the birth of the new bantha cub and this needs to get done by the morning. Got a big shipment of fertilizer to go pick up in town.”

“Fair enough,” Obi-Wan said. “I actually came here to talk to you about Eraan.”

“Why? Is he being a pain?” Declan asked with a hint of a wry smile. 

“Not at all. He has been trailing around after my padawan and I a curious amount, though. He was hanging about the library earlier today with Anakin so I had him do an essay.”

“Oh yeah? How’d he do?”

“Very well, actually. Do you have him study?”

Declan grabbed a cloth and started wiping down his hands. “A little, mostly during the winter months when it’s slower. Mostly agricultural things, though, nothing too academic. I’m not sure if he does anything on his own.”

“I’d be happy to give him more to do, if you’d allow it. I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t neglecting his duties,” Obi-Wan said. The last statement was a hint of sorts. He had a feeling Declan would have said something already if he was bothered that Eraan’s chores weren’t getting done.

Declan sighed and gave the other Jedi a kind of rueful smile. “I’m sorry, I should have said something earlier, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him off. He doesn’t get to be with kids his own age too often, and he and your padawan have really hit it off. Plus, I guess I was kind of hoping he’d learn a couple things from you. Things we can’t teach him here.” He thought for a moment. “Could really boost his confidence, and believe me, he could use that.”

Obi-Wan considered this. Eraan was obviously a sharp boy, and it might be good for Anakin to have a training and study partner. He got bored and distracted easily if a subject didn’t interest him but tended to do better when there were other students to engage with.

“If he doesn’t bother you, of course,” Declan said. “I’ll let him know when I’ve got something he needs to do for me.” He thought for a moment and chuckled to himself. “Or if he gets on your nerves. Sooner or later he’s bound to.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Well, this ought to be interesting anyway.”

Declan grinned. “Yeah, ‘interesting.’ I’m sure there are some good reasons that masters aren’t allowed two padawans at once.” 

* * *

During dinner, Anakin and Eraan enthusiastically recounted to Obi-Wan the story of the new baby bantha’s birth - in great and vivid detail. Obi-Wan listened politely, figuring that such stories were a typical subject of dinner conversation on a farm.

“I had to reach my arms in and grab it,” Anakin said, his eyes wide. “She could have died if I didn’t pull her out. And Eraan kept Besa calm.”

“And that’s the mother?” Obi-Wan asked. Eraan nodded.

“Did you know how ugly newborn banthas are, Master?” Anakin exclaimed. “I had no idea. No hair at all!”

Eraan elbowed him in the ribs. “ _ You’re _ ugly. She’s perfect.”

Anakin laughed and punched Eraan hard on the shoulder, causing his friend to nearly upset his water cup.

“Boys,” Obi-Wan sighed, wondering just what he’d signed up for. He hadn’t yet told either of them about his plans to give Eraan instruction. Wistfully, he thought perhaps he might forget the whole idea, if this is how they were going to behave. But no...something was nudging him along this path. A little voice. Over the years, he’d learned to listen to it. Besides, it did please him to see Anakin happy and in high spirits. The boy had too often been in a petulant temper lately and difficult to deal with; neither a helpful thing for his training nor for his master’s sanity.

“Master, can I go back to the barn with Eraan after dinner to check on her?” Anakin asked.

“I’d like to speak with you alone for a bit, actually,” Obi-Wan answered quickly, jerked out of his reflections.

Anakin looked slightly dejected at this. “Did I do something?”

Obi-Wan was taken aback. Perhaps his tone had sounded more dire than he’d meant it to. “No, you didn’t,” he said gently. “Can’t a master have some time alone with his padawan?”

Anakin smiled. “Of course, Master.”

Eraan spoke up. “But you should come see Padme first,” he told Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan blinked. “Padme? As in the former queen of Naboo?”

Anakin rolled his eyes. “I said we should name it that if it was a girl, kind of as a joke, but when I saw how ugly it was I wanted to take it back. But Eraan won’t let me now.”

His friend snickered.

“All right,” Obi-Wan sighed. “We’ll go see Padme.”

* * *

“Where is she?” Anakin asked, looking into the birthing stall. The mother bantha was standing there munching hay, but the little one wasn’t anywhere to be found. 

“Let me try something.” Eraan leaned over the stall’s rail and Obi-Wan watched as he closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate. 

A moment later a squashed little face pushed its way out of the bantha’s long curtain of hair and the strange, pink creature emerged, blinking black eyes at the three of them before unsteadily walking over to them - walking over to Eraan, really. It occured to Obi-Wan that he had never seen a bantha’s eyes before.

“You called her over,” Anakin said. “You gotta teach me how to do that.”

“I don’t know how I do it,” Eraan said, reaching down to stroke the cub’s naked head.

“Sometimes it’s not about trying,” Obi-Wan said, thinking of the bean fields.

“Well, I’m like that with machines, I guess,” Anakin shrugged. “I just know what to do with them.”

The cub bleated softly and moved from Eraan toward Obi-Wan’s hand, sniffing at it.

Eraan smiled up at him approvingly. “She likes you.”

* * *

“I don’t think she’s so bad,” Obi-Wan said as they left the barn. “Besides, she’ll have some fur in a week or two. Not sure she’ll ever live up to her name, though.”

“No way,” Anakin laughed.

Obi-Wan led his apprentice down toward the small river at the south boundary of the farm, a pleasant walk he’d taken with Qui-Gon many times, and many other times just by himself when he needed to think. Anakin picked up a stone and skipped it over the surface of the water, obviously satisfied as it bounced several times before disappearing. Since it was summer, the water was not as high as it could be at other times, but still moved along at a good clip, filling the air with the pleasant sound of its rushing.

“I wanted to let you know, Eraan will be studying with you while we’re here,” Obi-Wan said. “Declan thought it would be good for him.”

Anakin turned toward him, his eyes bright. “Really? Everything?”

“More or less,” Obi-Wan said.

“So, maybe,” Anakin said, almost to himself. “He could still be a padawan.”

Obi-Wan frowned. “Don’t get any ideas about that.”

“Why not?” Anakin argued, looking up at him sharply. “They didn’t even give him a chance, but he  _ could  _ be a Jedi. He’d be a good one. You could help him get taken on as an apprentice to someone, couldn’t you, Master?”

“We don’t know the reasons he was sent here,” Obi-Wan said sternly. “It isn’t for us to make that decision.”

“Qui-Gon would have helped him,” Anakin muttered.

Obi-Wan bristled at the mention of his master’s name used against him, but he kept his tone level. “You don’t know that. Qui-Gon thought very highly of the Jedi here, and he did not see their path as a lesser one.”

Anakin kept a stubborn silence as he picked up another rock to throw.

“Do you think Qui-Gon would have seen Eraan as a boy who needed rescuing?” Obi-Wan said, not willing to let the matter go.

“I don’t know,” Anakin sighed. “It’s just that, at the Temple they’re always going on about how there’s not enough Knights. How they need as many as possible.”

It was true. The Temple trained children from a young age to be Knights, primarily. There were other jobs Jedi could do, ones that served worthy causes, but they were peacekeepers first and foremost. That was why Obi-Wan doubted Eraan would have been sent out here unless there was a good reason. 

“Yes, Anakin.” He started walking again alongside the river and his padawan followed. “We do need Knights. And I understand you want to see Eraan be the best he can be. But you need to think about if what  _ you _ want for him is actually what’s best for him. I don’t think either of us know, at this point.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Anakin conceded glumly.

“This will still be a positive experience, won’t it?” Obi-Wan coaxed. He placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder, hoping that the cheerful version of his apprentice would return. To his relief, Anakin looked up at him again, this time with a smile.

“Yes, Master.”

“Good boy.” Obi-Wan squeezed his padawan’s shoulder and they continued their walk.

They came up to the remains of a tree that had fallen across the river, forming a bridge between both sides. Unable to help himself, Anakin scrambled onto it and looked down at Obi-Wan.

“What if we had a duel here and tried to make each other fall into the water?” He wondered aloud.

“I think you would go home very cold and wet, dear padawan,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin gave him a mischievous smile. “Or you would.”

“You don’t sound very confident about that,” Obi-Wan said. “How about if I run you through some aerial drills instead, if you feel like showing off.”

Anakin never said no to aerials, and no doubt the novelty of the environment added to his eagerness. Obi-Wan ran him back and forth across the log, having him perform a long series of flips and acrobatics. The surface of the tree was not completely smooth, full of small knots and indentations, but Anakin kept his footing and his balance, tripping only once or twice and quickly righting himself. That is, until he got just a tad overconfident.

Obi-Wan might have reached out and used the Force to pull Anakin back up as the boy caught himself one of the tree’s knots and fell forward off the side of the log, and he  _ was  _ a little tempted to - but he didn’t. It would be a more effective lesson this way. Anakin plunged head first into the river, emerging a moment later with a startled expression.

“It’s so cold!”

Obi-Wan stifled a laugh as Anakin hurried to the shore. “Time to go home.”

* * *

They were standing outside the residential building and Obi-Wan was watching Anakin pour water out of his boot when Eraan approached, presumably on his way back from the barn. The boy stopped in front of them and grinned at Anakin.

“Go for a swim?”

Anakin laughed. “Just a short one. Guess what, though!”

“Anakin -” Obi-Wan began. He hadn’t really pictured Eraan learning the news from Anakin blurting it out. But perhaps it was as good a way as any. “Oh, go ahead and tell him.”

“My master says you’re going to do training with me, I mean, while we’re here of course. “

“Jedi training?” Eraan asked, looking amazed.

Anakin started to speak again but Obi-Wan gave him a pointed look, and he got the hint. 

“Declan and I talked and he agreed it might be good for you to hone your skills, a bit, while we’re here,” Obi-Wan said. “If you agree. It’s not mandatory.”

“Lightsaber training too?” Eraan asked.

“Certainly. Whatever Anakin does,” Obi-Wan answered.

Eraan beamed. “Yes, I want to!” After a moment he added, “Please.”


	13. Balance

Anakin watched as Eraan and the remote droid circled each other. Eraan was blindfolded as usual and holding his ‘saber high. Too high, Anakin thought. But, all in all, he was doing pretty well. Even in the past week, he’d improved a lot. His years of training and conditioning were coming back to him, just as Obi-Wan had said it would when they started. 

The three of them had made the old school’s courtyard a place of active Jedi training as it once had been many years ago. Before they’d started, it had been overgrown with weeds and vines, and Obi-Wan had put the boys to work getting it cleaned up and looking almost as pristine as the training balconies at the Temple on Coruscant. Anakin had faith that when they left Eraan would keep it looking nice. That is, if he really  _ did  _ have to stay at the farm. He hadn’t brought it up again with Obi-Wan, but he really did hold out hope Eraan would get chosen as an apprentice, somehow. Afterall, there were some kids at the Temple who were fifteen or even sixteen and didn’t have masters yet, and no one gave up on  _ them _ .

He glanced over at Obi-Wan who was watching Eraan intently, his arms folded. Without warning, the remote droid began firing erratically. Anakin had toned it down a little, at Obi-Wan’s request, but it was still fierce. Eraan rose his blade to meet the blasts, and the ones he didn’t manage to deflect he at least got out of the way of, dodging and ducking as skillfully as any Temple student. 

The droid had been timed to fire only in short, intense bursts, and the fight was over quickly. Eraan took off his blindfold, smiling.

“Good, but still a little erratic,” Obi-Wan said. “I want you to go through the first defense sequence again.”

“Oh, Master, not again,” Anakin cried without thinking. Mostly he didn’t want to watch the basic blocking drill sequence yet again, even though he knew Obi-Wan was devoted to the idea of repetition to the point of perfectection - and exhaustion. Anakin had gone through the same drills, years ago. But he didn’t exactly want to watch someone else do them now.

Obi-Wan looked over at him and frowned. “I believe I asked you not to interrupt when I’m instructing.”

An apology would have been wise, but Anakin forged ahead. “Can’t we spar now, Master? He’s good enough.” Obi-Wan had not let them spar yet, but Anakin was eager to cross blades with Eraan, especially as the boy was beginning to remember his old skills.

“That’s enough, Anakin. How many times do you need to be reminded about outbursts during training? Go and do fifty push ups.”

Scowling, Anakin got to his feet and stalked away from the training circle. He may have brought this on himself, but he didn’t have to like it. He began doing his push ups quickly, trying to show his master how much he wasn’t bothered by them. Fifty push ups were easy. Who cared? Obi-Wan seemingly paid him no mind as he began to get Eraan started on his next exercise, speaking to the boy in a gentle tone.

When Anakin was done he got up, a little sweaty from the speed of his exercise and from the heat of the late afternoon sun. He was about to sit down again, when Obi-Wan turned toward him.

“You won’t be rejoining us,” his master said, fixing him with a stern expression. “I want you to go do a one-handed balance for the remainder of this lesson.”

“Why?” Anakin blurted out rather rudely. He noted Eraan pausing in his drills to watch with interest. “I did what you asked.”

“Because I can still sense your obstinance,” Obi-Wan replied. “Not that I owe you an explanation.”

There was no use arguing, that much was clear. Obi-Wan had really gone full tilt into Strict Master mode since Eraan had begun training with them. When it was just he and Obi-Wan Anakin might have been able to get away with some mouthiness, but now, probably because he was outnumbered, his master had started coming down a bit harder. Anakin enjoyed training with Eraan, but still wished things might be more relaxed. He could only hope Obi-Wan would loosen up eventually.

He walked off again, sighing to himself. The One-Handed Balance always felt cruel. Not because it was particularly difficult or painful, but because to do it without falling required his whole concentration and that meant letting go of his negative feelings and resentment and stubbornness. That’s why Obi-Wan made him do it. It was not like a normal seated meditation that he might fake his way through - it hadn’t taken long for Obi-Wan to get smarter than that. There had been a couple times where Anakin had flat out refused to do it when ordered to, thus subjecting himself to harsher discipline rather than let go of the emotions that were holding him back. Now would not be one of those times. He thought it in his best interests not to mess with Obi-Wan right at the moment, especially not with Eraan watching.

He took a deep breath, centering himself and finding the balancing within, before placing his right palm on the ground and hoisting himself aloft. It did feel good, he had to admit, as if his cares had begun to drift away into a vast ocean. It lasted only a moment though. Something about the sound of Obi-Wan’s voice instructing Eraan brought up a tremor of irritation springing up from within him. Anakin found himself crumpled to the ground.

“Anakin,  _ focus _ ,” said Obi-Wan sharply.

“Sorry, Master,” Anakin said, doing his best to swallow his pride. He shouldn’t have let himself be so sensitive. He had to show his master that he could be a real Jedi. He could do this. He took a breath, attempting to center himself again, but Obi-Wan wasn’t done addressing him.

“I think doing your meditation up there might give you incentive to keep your concentration.” He pointed to one of the pillars that stood in the corners of the courtyard. Anakin looked up. He hadn’t noticed before, but these were evidently the same type of columns they had meditated upon when they had gone to the vergence a little while back. Just a bit shorter, and they didn’t have such intricate carvings.

Anakin dutifully scrambled up the pillar.

“I read about a padawan a long time ago,” Eraan chimed in, “who laughed during a lesson and they made her meditate like that on one of those pillars for three rotations.”

“Don’t give Master Obi-Wan any ideas,” Anakin quipped, looking down at them.

“Padawan,” Obi-Wan said. “I don’t want to hear any more comments from you until the lesson is over. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Master.” Anakin was tempted to make a face at Eraan, who was smirking up at him from behind his master, but thought better of it. It seemed fully possible at the moment that Obi-Wan might really make him stay up here for three rotations.

Obi-Wan turned to Eraan. “That goes for you as well. Understand?”

Eraan nodded.

“Yes…?” Obi-Wan said.

“Yes, Master,” Eraan said quietly toward his boots. He’d seemed reluctant to say it the whole week, or to call Obi-Wan anything at all. Anakin wondered why. Maybe he’d gotten used to how informal things were here. Declan wielded a sort of quiet - and sometimes not so quiet- authority that everyone seemed to respect, but other than that, there was no real hierarchy or chain of command. No bowing. No one was called master. But Obi-Wan had made it clear that if Eraan was going to train with Anakin he was going to follow the traditional Jedi ways like Anakin was expected to. He had also insisted that Eraan wear shoes, which Anakin thought might have bothered his friend more than anything.

Anakin suddenly remembered that he had come up here to meditate, and began his balance before Obi-Wan could reprimand him again. This time it went more smoothly, and he found his concentration. He even enjoyed the feeling of the Force holding him up, as if it was an extension of himself.

Some time passed, and Obi-Wan’s voice called to him gently. “All right, Anakin, come down now.”

Anakin opted to flip back to his feet, then jumped down off the pillar. Obi-Wan and Eraan were already sitting cross legged in the training circle and Anakin joined them. Obi-Wan liked to end combat drills with some kind of Jedi wisdom or story, which Anakin liked. Just as long as it wasn’t a meditation on the Code.

“Eraan, do you remember the opening five precepts of the Jedi Code?” Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin groaned internally.

“Sure,” Eraan said. “I mean, yes, Master.”

Obi-Wan waited a moment, but Eraan was silent. A bird crowed loudly in the distance.

“And will you recite it for us?” Obi-Wan asked, sounding just a tad exasperated.

“Oh, you should’ve said if you wanted me to,” Eraan said, his brow furrowed. “Didn't want to speak out of turn.”

Anakin couldn’t help but let out a snort, which he quickly tried to disguise as a cough. Such a statement might have been interpreted as insolence by some teachers, but with Eraan, sometimes it was hard to tell if he was really being serious. He had a feeling even Obi-Wan had a hard time knowing. 

“Please recite it, Eraan,” Obi-Wan said calmly.

_ “There is no emotion, There is peace _

_ There is no ignorance, there is knowledge _

_ There is no passion, there is serenity _

_ There is no chaos, there is harmony _

_ There is no death, there is the Force” _

“ _ There is no passion, there is boredom _ ,” thought Anakin, remembering a parody of the Code someone had written in the margins in one of the texts he’d gotten out of the library. He’d have to tell that to Eraan later. “ _ There is no chaos, there are a million rules _ .”

“And what do you suppose the first line means,” Obi-Wan asked. “Is a Jedi never supposed to feel emotions?”

“We are supposed to look beyond our emotions,” Eraan said. "Recognize them as temporary."

Obi-Wan looked pleased. “Exactly. We must acknowledge the truth of our emotions, our passion, or ignorance, but we must strive to see truths and realities that lie past them. If we get stuck in our own feelings about things, we only limit ourselves, and cannot grow.”

Anakin had heard all this before. It was kind of little kid stuff. They spoke about the Code for a few more minutes, then ended the lesson.

“You miscreants can go have some fun now,” he told them as they all rose and Obi-Wan picked up the training equipment from its place on the ground. “But not too much,” he added.

“Come on,” Eraan told Anakin, leading him to the school’s entrance at the other side of the training balcony. Once Obi-Wan was out of sight he sat down on one of the stone benches outside the doorway, and began to remove his boots.

“Your master is kind of strict, huh?” He asked.

Anakin leaned against the wall. “I don’t know. Sometimes, I guess. He’s not as strict as some masters.” It was true. Anakin might have usually been the first one to complain about discipline, but he knew Obi-Wan wasn’t really severe so much as he just believed in things getting done a certain way. Which, unfortunately for Eraan, involved the wearing of boots. A worried thought crossed his mind. “You’re not thinking of quitting, are you?”

“No,” said Eraan simply.

“Good,” Anakin said. “You’re getting good with your lightsaber. I think Obi-Wan will let us spar soon.”

“You just want to beat me up again,” Eraan said, smiling.

Anakin laughed. “I’ll go easy on you this time, I promise.”

“I want to show you something.” Eraan popped up off the bench, leaving his boots abandoned underneath it, and headed into the school. Anakin trailed after him. They jogged through the wide halls of the old academy building which had long stood empty. It wasn’t a terribly large building, yet there was a feeling of importance there that reminded Anakin of the Temple. The weight of several centuries. He wondered if this place was built on a vergence as well. 

Eraan ran down a staircase and pressed a button on a panel of the wall, turning on the lights. The corridors were narrower in the lower level. They made a couple turns and finally came to stop in front of a door at the end of a hallway. He pressed a sequence of buttons on a panel next to the door and it flashed green, then Eraan pushed the door open.

The lights in the room flickered on revealing a large store room, filled with various artifacts and crates.

“Wow,” Anakin exclaimed. “Is this all stuff from the school?”

“Yeah,” Eraan said. “I haven’t been in here before, actually. Mora gave me the code today. She said if I was going to be doing Jedi training maybe there’d be some stuff in here that we could use.”

Mora was an older lady who was the oldest member of the farm and had been in the AgriCorps for several decades. Anakin remembered how thrilled she’d been at breakfast a few days ago when Eraan had talked about doing some training with Obi-Wan. 

“Look at how much stuff they left,” Anakin said in amazement. 

“Yeah,” Eraan said. “It’s mostly training equipment from the school, but there’s a lot of random stuff in here. I don’t think they wanted to store it at the Temple, but I guess they didn’t want to throw it away, either.”

“They shouldn’t.” Anakin moved toward a large bin filled with ropes and cables. “We could make some stuff with this. Like a training course. You could use it even when we leave.”

Eraan looked up at him from the bin he’d been rifling through, and smiled. “Yeah! Oh - look at this.”

He pulled something out of the box and held it up for Anakin to see. A helmet. Unmistakably a Mandalorian helmet. 

“Wow,” Anakin said. “Is that  _ real _ ?”

“No way,” Eraan laughed. “Can’t be, it’s too light. Probably someone did it for a project.”

He tossed it to Anakin, who caught it and studied it in his hands, turning it around. It was light, but well made. There was a name etched into the back of the helmet in very small, neat letters.  _ Q. Jinn _ .

“Do you think anyone would care if I brought this back to the Temple?” He asked, putting the helmet on. He didn’t mention that he wanted to keep the helmet for himself, in his own room.

“Don’t think anyone would,” Eraan said. “All this stuff belongs to the Temple anyway, more or less.”

Anakin took the helmet back off and looked at it fondly. He couldn’t wait to show Obi-Wan what he’d found. But first, he and Eraan had a lot of work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading!


	14. Kenji

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait till the weekend to post this but it's kind of a short one, so whatever. Thanks for reading. :)

Obi-Wan headed back toward the residential building to drop off the training equipment from the day’s session and have a bit of time to himself before dinner. He’d almost felt for the past week that he was back at the Temple again giving lessons, not on a farm. Declan had all but cleared Eraan’s schedule and hadn't asked for Obi-Wan or Anakin’s help with much since Eraan had started his training. 

It was probably for the best. Teaching both Anakin and Eraan was proving to be more than he’d bargained for, though he couldn’t exactly say he regretted it. Eraan was an enthusiastic student, and Obi-Wan could already see the boy’s confidence increasing.

But what would happen to him when they left, Obi-Wan wondered. How would the Eraan apply those rediscovered skills?  _ Patience _ he told himself. The Force would work these things out. He was planning on staying here with Anakin at least six more weeks, maybe more if the Council could spare him.

Deep in thought, he still managed to give Kenji a smile and greeting as he passed him coming up the road to the residential building. The boy smiled shyly back at him, ducking his head a little. Obi-Wan thought briefly about what Coral had told him about the former padawan. Too bad the boy hadn;t stayed at the Temple, where he belonged. As painful as his ordeal had no doubt been, the Jedi were equipped to deal with such tragedies and help their own move past them. He didn’t like the idea of the Order losing another valuable member; these days, they were already losing Knights and padawans at an alarming rate as it was.

“Master Obi-Wan.”

Obi-Wan turned around to see that Kenji had stopped and was looking at him, though still a bit shyly, and his smile was a bit stiff, as though it had been a long time since he’d tried it out. He was a tall boy, and strong, though he stood a bit stooped over as if somehow afraid to stand at his full height. His dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, though strands were falling out and hanging down in various places. 

“Master Obi-Wan, I saw you the other day practicing Form Three sequences, and I just...well, I study Form Three as well, and I was just wondering if maybe you could give my technique some pointers. Sometime. If it’s not an imposition.”

Obi-Wan smiled. “It wouldn’t be at all. Where do you practice?”

“Just outside the building, if it’s good weather. Sometimes I use the gym in the old school.”

“Have you seen what Eraan and my apprentice did to the school’s training courtyard? They cleaned it up quite well. We could have some practice there, if you’d like. I have some time now. Are you headed somewhere?”

Kenji said that he wasn’t, so they went back to the courtyard. 

“Are you up for sparring?” Obi-Wan asked him, laying down the remote droid at the edge of the courtyard. “I haven’t sparred with anyone except Anakin in about a month, and having a new opponent is always enjoyable.”

“I haven’t sparred with anyone in years,” Kenji shrugged. He frowned a bit, as if recalling a painful memory.

“I’m sure Eraan would have a go sometime, if you asked him,” Obi-Wan said.

“Hmm,” Kenji said, frowning more deeply. He seemed upset by this idea, but Obi-Wan decided it wasn’t his place to pry.

They went through a brief warmup before facing off. Kenji regarded him seriously, taking his opening stance. Obi-Wan did the same and waited for Kenji to make the first move. The boy came suddenly with a strong thrust which Obi-Wan had to move quickly to block. This was followed by many more, and soon they were lost in the flow of the duel.

The concept of  _ fun _ was not really something Obi-Wan allowed himself to pursue often. Not these days. He never really thought about it. There were so many things in his life that  _ needed _ his attention; that he might pursue something that he wanted to do but didn’t need to do seldom occurred to him as an option. But there were times when fun seemed to find him regardless, and he embraced those moments when he could. 

Now it was time to make things more interesting and really put Kenji’s Soresu skills to the test. He switched to the Ataru style and came at Kenji with a spinning attack, forcing the boy to switch the defensive, which he did gracefully, unphased by the sudden change.

He wasn’t sure how long they were fighting before Kenji bent forward, throwing up his hand to stop the duel. He looked suddenly pale and exhausted. Obi-Wan extinguished his lightsaber and moved toward the boy, concerned. Just a moment before, Kenji had been performing excellently, with no indication of illness or weariness. Now he was resting his palms on his knees as if trying not to be sick.

“Are you all right?” Obi-Wan asked, placing his hand on the boy’s back.

Kenji let out a long exhale before answering. “I think so.”

“Shall we go sit down?” Obi-Wan asked. Without waiting for Kenji to respond, he led him to the bench by the school’s entrance. Or tried to. Before they reached it, Kenji darted suddenly toward the edge of the stone platform and emptied the contents of his stomach into the bushes below. He sank to his knees, heaving a bit before he was finished. Obi-Wan strode over to him, placing a hand on the young man’s back. Kenji at last rose shakily, and together they walked toward the bench again.

Kenji sat onto the bench heavily, taking in a few deep breaths.

“Have you not been feeling well?” Obi-Wan asked, sitting beside him.

“No...I’ve been fine,” Kenji replied. He didn’t meet Obi-Wan’s gaze. “Just a little overexerted I guess. Some food should help. Water.”

Obi-Wan nodded, though something about this didn’t feel right. “Have you seen the healers lately? Perhaps you should.”

“You mean the healer,” Kenji said, emphasizing the lack of plural. “No, I haven’t. I’ve felt fine. I’ll be all right, I think. Thank you.”

The dinner bell began to sound then, chiming insistently across the fields. “All right,” Obi-Wan said. “If you’re feeling up to it, let’s go get something to eat.”

They walked together down the path, Kenji still a little slow and shaky.

“I haven’t sparred in so long,” the boy said after a bit of a silence. “I guess I wasn’t used to it.”

Obi-Wan made no reply. As far as he knew, Kenji’s response to their duel wasn’t a typical one, even if it had been a while. Especially as he’d gone from being in good form one moment to barely able to stand the next.

“Your Ataru was fantastic,” Kenji went on, obviously wanting to change the subject.

“I studied it for a long time,” Obi-Wan said. “It was my master’s preferred form as well, and he taught me a great deal. I’ve only been studying Soresu for a few years.”

“Since...” Kenji didn’t finish his question.

“Yes.”

“You saw it happen, didn’t you,” said Kenji quietly. “When he killed your master. At least you got to say goodbye. You got to hold him.”

A chill went through Obi-Wan. He’d not told many people at the Temple many details about Qui-Gon’s death, and even less to the AgriCorps Jedi. And though it was not altogether rare that a Force-sensitive person might be able to pick up on details not revealed to them through normal means, it still made him uneasy. Kenji seemed to sense this.

“Sorry.”

“It’s all right.”

They spent the rest of the walk to the dining hall in silence.

* * *

After dinner, Obi-Wan found himself quite tired. More tired than he should have been, considering the fairly normal day he’d had. Perhaps there was something going around. Fortunately, Kenji had started to perk up a bit during the course of the meal. Though he didn’t exactly seem cheerful, the color had returned to his cheeks and his appetite seemed good. Still, Obi-Wan thought he might check in with the boy later. Something about the events of the afternoon still didn’t sit well with him.

Anakin and Eraan hadn’t been at dinner. Tika said he’d seen them down by the river fashioning some kind of ropes course in the large trees there. Obi-Wan didn’t like the idea of his padawan skipping communal meals if it could be helped, but at least the boys had not gone running far afield this time.

He returned to their quarters right after dinner was finished and laid down on his bed. He only meant to rest a few moments and then go and find Anakin, but when he opened his eyes again the room was quite dark and he felt groggy. At least he did feel a bit more awake, even if he had a slight headache now. He was about to start a light healing meditation when he heard the front door of their quarters open, and his padawan’s footsteps in the living area. Obi-Wan glanced at the chrono and sighed before opening his bedroom door and peering out.

“Anakin. Do you know what time it is?”

“No, not really,” Anakin answered, coming closer to Obi-Wan’s door. He was dirty and holding what looked like a replica of a Mandalorian helmet, for some reason. With Anakin, sometimes it was best not to ask ‘why.’ “You didn’t give me a curfew, Master,” he pointed out, somewhat defensively.

“I know, but that’s because I’d like to trust you to make sensible decisions for yourself. But if you make a habit of coming back at this hour, I may change my mind.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin said by rote, wanting to move on to the next topic. “But we had so much to do. We made an amazing ropes course, Master, you should see it.” He held up the helmet for Obi-Wan to inspect. “And look what I found in the school. Master Qui-Gon made it. I guess a long time ago.”

Obi-Wan looked at it, but did not take it from his padawan. “Interesting.”

“I’m going to keep it,” Anakin told him.

“Why? You don’t need another thing in your room, Anakin.” That came out a bit more harshly than he meant it to. But Anakin only frowned at the statement, turning the helmet over in his hands and studying it.

“I’d like you to go to bed now,” Obi-Wan said. “And please do not miss dinner again. It makes you look unappreciative of the hospitality here.”

“I won’t,” Anakin said quietly, moving past his master toward his own bedroom door.

Obi-Wan watched the door to his bedroom close, a little amazed Anakin had not put up any argument. Perhaps he was finally moving out of whatever difficult phase he had been going through these past few months. Or maybe, Obi-Wan thought, the boy was coming down with something as well. He’d have to keep an eye on him, just in case.


	15. Push-feather

“See? I told you it was easy,” Anakin called up to Eraan. The boy had paused in the middle of the taute rope they had fastened between the trees, his bare toes gripping it firmly before he took another step. “You could probably run if you wanted to.”

Eraan didn’t reply to that, but kept moving steadily to the other side.

It wasn’t much of a course, Anakin had to admit. Not exactly what he’d envisioned. They’d run out of ropes after constructing a couple tight ropes and a bridge between a couple of the bigger trees, around the trunks of which they had fastened a couple simple platforms. Maybe they’d be able to get more sooner or later and add to it, but for now, this was okay. 

Eraan reached the platform on the other side of the rope, then quickly climbed down the tree to join Anakin on the ground. “Should we bring your master here to see it?” He asked.

Anakin shrugged. “Maybe.” 

He wasn’t sure what Obi-Wan would think. His master hadn’t seemed terribly impressed about them staying out late the night before to work on this. Part of Anakin wanted to prove to him that they had really done something useful, but part of him just wanted this for himself and Eraan. What was the use of showing Obi-Wan, if he wouldn’t even appreciate it? After his master’s reaction to Qui-Gon’s helmet, Anakin wasn’t in a terrible hurry to show his master anything. As for the helmet, now he was even more intent on keeping it in his room at the Temple. Let Obi-Wan think what he wanted.

It was probably selfish. The Jedi would say it was. Not that anyone cared about what happened to someone’s old school project, probably, but the wanting it was selfish. Wanting to keep a piece of something, of someone’s history, just to have it. Anakin wasn’t sure how much he cared. Obi-Wan at least had years worth of memories of Qui-Gon; Anakin had barely anything.

“We should get back if we’re not going to be late,” Eraan said. He was right. They had come out here just before sunrise and now the morning was getting brighter. Obi-Wan would expect them soon in the library.

“Yeah, he doesn’t like being kept waiting,” Anakin agreed.

As soon as they reached the library door, Eraan stopped abruptly. “I forgot my boots. Where did I leave them?”

“Training courtyard,” Anakin laughed as he entered the building. Eraan had already zipped off again.

Obi-Wan looked up from his place at their customary table as Anakin entered. “Thank you for leaving that note this morning. It was thoughtful.”

Anakin nodded. He’d left the note letting Obi-Wan know that he was leaving early but he’d see them at lessons. He plopped down the chair in front of his master and picked up a stylus, tapping it on the table.

“Where’s our friend Eraan?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Forgot his boots.”

“Hmm,” Obi-Wan said. “Well, I thought we could work on philosophy today. We need to complete your study of Master Afron’s Treatise on Ethical Pluralism.”

“Ugh,” Anakin groaned. “I’d rather study crop rotations. I thought that’s why we came here. Farm stuff.”

Obi-Wan smiled at him. “That can be arranged as well, I’m sure. But you’re not getting out of philosophy, I’m afraid.”

Anakin balanced the stylus on its end on the table and, using the Force, twirled it around in a lazy circle. “Didn’t you ever have a subject you didn’t like?

“Abstract mathematics,” Obi-Wan answered promptly. “But I studied it extra hard to make sure my personal dislike of it did not hinder my learning.”

Anakin twirled the stylus faster. “Yeah, I bet Master Qui-Gon made you.”

“He certainly did. Sometimes our masters know what we need. And it isn’t always what we want, is it?”

Anakin didn’t answer, distracted now by the arrival of Eraan, who had come panting into the library.

“Good morning, Eraan,” Obi-Wan said. “You do know that most people like to get dressed  _ before  _ they leave the house in the morning.

Anakin laughed and Eraan hurriedly took his seat, looking embarrassed. The morning lessons commenced.

* * *

Anakin made it through the morning lessons without much complaint, looking forward to the afternoon’s more physical training. He could only hope that they would practice dueling. It had been more than a week, after all. But his hopes were quickly dashed when Obi-Wan told the boys his plans on the way to the school.

“I thought we would take a break from lightsaber training and focus on some more subtle Force work today.”

Anakin almost groaned, but caught himself, knowing that such a reaction would not go over well with Obi-Wan.

“What kind of Force work?” He asked, keeping his tone level.

“I thought we could do some Push-feather,” Obi-Wan replied.

“Push-feather!” Anakin exclaimed, unable to restrain himself. He gave Eraan a stricken look.

“Is there a problem, Padawan?” Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin sighed. “No, Master.” 

As far as he was concerned, Push-feather was a waste of time. A stupid game played in the Temple where two opponents attempted to push the other out of the circle using the other’s own Force energy against them. It required a lot of patience and picking up on subtle queues, and, in Anakin’s opinion, was terribly boring.

“We play it sometimes here,” Eraan said. “To keep our sense sharp.”

“I’m sure you’ll do well,” Obi-Wan told him.

“I thought maybe you’d let us spar today,” Anakin muttered.

Obi-Wan looked at him. “Be mindful of your attitude, Anakin.”

“Yeah, be mindful of your attitude, Anakin,” Eraan snickered quietly.

Anakin considered punching his arm, but Obi-Wan was giving them a warning look now as they approached the training platform.

“Obviously, you both need to clear your minds so we will start with a few minutes of meditation,” Obi-Wan said. They settled down cross-legged in the training circle, not stirring until Obi-Wan told them to stand back up.

“Are we ready? Eraan, you can have the first move,” he said, then stood back from the circle and folded his arms. Both boys bowed to one another according to the custom.

Eraan took a moment to concentrate. Actually, he took several moments. Anakin breathed in and out, waiting. It didn’t feel like the other boy was trying to do anything. Several moments more passed and Anakin couldn’t stand it anymore. Were they just going to stand here all day? He reached out and  _ nudged _ Eraan slightly. At least, he had meant it to be slight. The boy stumbled backward a bit, just catching himself to keep from falling.

“Hey!” Eraan cried indignantly. “I was supposed to start!”

“Anakin, what are you doing?” Obi-Wan said.

“He was taking forever!” Anakin grumbled. “You aren’t supposed to take that long.”

“There’s no rule against that,” Eraan said. He looked at Obi-Wan. “There’s no rule, is there?”

“Nobody in the Temple ever takes so long to start,” Anakin said.

Eraan glared at him. “You can’t cheat!”

Anakin opened his mouth to protest this, but Obi-Wan held up his hand. “I suppose we should have done a long meditation. But as it is, I think some laps around the school might help you calm down. Both of you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Eraan said boldly. “I shouldn’t be punished.”

“I’m interested in training you, not punishing you. You can choose to accept your training, or not,” Obi-Wan told him. “But if you don’t accept it then we can’t proceed.”

Anakin looked at Eraan, wondering what he’d do. He knew that jedi training often meant being asked to do things you thought were unfair or uncomfortable or you didn’t understand. He’d had that drilled into him from his early days in the Temple. But Eraan had had a couple years already to forget.

Eraan held Obi-Wan’s gaze for a moment before giving him a slight nod. “Yes, Master.”

Anakin watched as he took off running. 

“Well?” Obi-Wan said. “Get going.”

Anakin sighed and jogged off. It was hot today. He wondered if Obi-Wan was going to have them run the whole time or if they were going to try Push-feather again. He caught up with Eraan and kept pace beside him.

“You’re right,” he said after a moment of silence. “I should have waited.”

“Yeah,” Eraan said.

“I’m sorry, okay?”

Eraan looked at him. “Okay. Wish you’d said that earlier, though. It’s too hot to run.”

Anakin smiled. “No kidding.” Given his origins he didn’t mind the heat as much as some, but still would have preferred not to be running right now.

Fortunately, Obi-Wan had mercy on them and stopped them after their fourth lap around the building. Push-Feather resumed. Eraan had first move again, but didn’t keep Anakin waiting so long this time. It was as boring as Anakin remembered; blocking and redirecting tiny psychic movements, trying to throw your opponent off guard and off their balance. Eraan almost got him a few times, but Anakin bounced back quickly. In the end, neither of them won.

“That’s enough for now,” Obi-Wan said at last, and Anakin felt like the weight of a small moon had been lifted off him, and relaxed immediately. 

“But it’s not over!” Eraan protested. Anakin glared at him.

Obi-Wan smiled patiently. “We are not holding a tournament. This was about the exercise only.”

“We aren’t doing this again tomorrow, are we?” Anakin asked.

“Perhaps we should,” Obi-Wan said. “Perhaps we should do it every day until you stop complaining about it.” He sounded mostly good-natured, but there was no mistaking a slight edge to his voice. Anakin felt a sudden stab of guilt. Obi-Wan generally was very patient with him, and he didn’t always appreciate that. He thought about what his master had told Eraan earlier, that it was his choice to accept training or not. Anakin had made that choice as well, and wasn’t about to turn away from it. Even if it was hard sometimes.

“I don’t mean to complain, Master,” Anakin said, dropping his gaze.

Obi-Wan put his hand on his shoulder gently. “I know.”

They finished up the lesson with a couple more Force work exercises before Obi-Wan released them for afternoon free time. Eraan suggested they go for a swim, so they headed down toward the river. 

“Don’t be mad about me asking this,” Anakin began. “But why did you take so long to start earlier?”

Eraan shrugged. “Nerves, I guess. Been so long since I played Push-feather against a real Jedi. I didn’t want to end up on my butt right away.”

Anakin laughed. “But you did good! We were pretty even. You’re as good as any Temple Jedi.”

Eraan looked pleased at this. They walked along the river until they came to one of the deeper pools that they had swam in before. Eraan started removing his boots and socks, but Anakin stayed standing. He had an idea.

“Hey- before we swim, how about we have a little sparring match?”

Eraan frowned at him. “With our lightsabers? Are we allowed?”

Anakin considered this. At the Temple, junior padawans weren’t allowed to spar together unsupervised. But they weren’t at the Temple.

“We’re not breaking any rules,” Anakin said. “I don’t think.” In the back of his mind, he thought if he asked permission from Obi-Wan to do this the answer would be ‘no,’ but he put the thought out of his head. What Obi-Wan didn’t know wouldn't hurt him. 

“Are you sure?” Eraan said. “Obi-Wan won’t be mad?”

Anakin weighed the risk. He’d been in trouble once for unsupervised sparring, but it was not considered the worst of offences, and many high-spirited padawans broke the rule at least once. Anakin might get in a bit of trouble, but he thought he could probably plead ignorance to some degree and he was willing to shield his friend from the blame.

“I don’t think he’ll find out, but if he does and he gets mad, I’ll tell him it was all my idea.”

Eraan was silent, thoughtfully mulling this over.

“Just a few minutes? And then we’ll swim, and it’ll feel great,” Anakin said. “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

Eraan nodded slowly, a grin creeping across his face now. “Okay. It has been a long time.”

“Yeah!” Anakin unclipped his weapon from his belt. “We’ll both use Shii-Cho. It’ll be more fair.”

Eraan agreed, and after finding a suitable piece of flat ground, they took their opening stances. Anakin let Eraan strike the first blow, figuring his friend could use a confidence boost. It would be no fun if Eraan was entirely on the defence the entire time. At first he was a little nervous, and a little stiff, but after a moment or two they had found a good rhythm. The defensive sequences Obi-Wan had relentlessly drilled Eraan on had proven useful, and feeling confident in his defense, he felt bold enough to also make some bold offensive strikes here and there.

_ Good, _ Anakin thought. That meant he could also be a bit bolder with his moves, and wouldn’t have to baby Eraan. He allowed himself to get a little more aggressive, and soon they were both panting and sweating as their blue and green blade clashed harder and harder together.

At last Eraan made the signal to stop. “Okay, can we stop now?” He wiped the sweat from his brow.

“You did so good!” Anakin exclaimed, extinguishing his blade. “Let’s keep going. We can make it more interesting.”

“What do you mean?” Eraan asked. 

Anakin nodded toward the fallen log in the distance, the one that spanned the river and that he’d fallen from the week before when Obi-Wan ran him through aerial drills. “Let’s duel on that log.”

Eraan looked at it. “I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know? It’ll be fun.” Anakin felt annoyed at the other boy’s reluctance. Wasn’t he up for a real challenge? “You can do it.”

“I thought we were going to swim.”

“We will!” Anakin said. “Aren’t you having fun? You’re a natural.”

Eraan was silent again. He looked down at his ‘saber hilt, turning it over in his hands.

“You’re not scared, are you?” Anakin asked.

“No,” said Eraan flatly.

“Then come on.” Anakin started running toward the log, smiling to himself as he sensed Eraan following him.


	16. Another Eventful Afternoon

Obi-Wan was sitting with his data reader on the stone bench under the large tree by the refectory when Coral approached him, her normally cheerful features now arranged into an expression of worry. So much for the few moments of relaxation he had put aside for himself.

“Obi-Wan, will you come with me? Kenji’s in the med center. He’s asking for you.”

Obi-Wan stood up at once. “He’s ill?”

“He collapsed in the fields an hour ago,” Coral said as they began to walk quickly toward the med center. “He’s just regained consciousness.”

“He was out of sorts yesterday,” Obi-Wan told her. “Though he insisted he was fine. Any notion of what’s wrong?”

Coral shook her head. “He was terribly cold to the touch when we brought him in. He’s a little warmer now, but weak and light-headed.”

Obi-Wan considered this, and wondered why Kenji was asking for him specifically. Like any Jedi, he had basic medical training, but he was no expert. He’d certainly had no idea what was wrong the other day.

The med center was located in a small building and consisted of a few rooms. It was clean and well organized, but by Temple standards nothing fancy. An older model of medical droid greeted Coral and Obi-Wan in the entry chamber. 

“We have run some preliminary tests but so far have found no signs of infection or imbalance,” it said, looking from one Jedi to the other. “Most curious.”

“Quite curious.” A short, blonde haired woman had emerged from one of the back rooms, frowning.

“Hello, Eldris,” Obi-Wan greeted her. “Coral told me that Kenji asked for me?”

Eldris nodded once. Obi-Wan started to move toward the back room but was stopped by the healer’s hand on his shoulder. “I have more work to do,” she said quietly. “But I don’t think medically there’s anything wrong with him. I fear it’s something else. Something beyond my expertise.”

Obi-Wan understood what she meant, even if he couldn’t claim to understand the situation.

Kenji was laying in his bed, propped up slightly by a couple of pillows. His eyes were closed but opened as Obi-Wan approached, and he smiled a weak, joyless smile. His face was grey.

“Thank you for coming. You were right. I should have come here before. But I didn’t think it would get this bad.”

Obi-Wan took his hand. It was freezing cold. In fact, the air around Kenji seemed to feel strangely cold, as if he were laying under an air vent.

“What was happening when you collapsed?” Obi-Wan asked. “Do you remember?”

“I was in the fields, meditating,” Kenji said. “I was actually feeling better than normal. But then I started feeling sick again, like yesterday. And so cold.”

Obi-Wan frowned, pondering this. He wanted to help, to do what he could, but hoped that the boy did not call him here because he thought Obi-Wan had the answers, or had any idea at all what was going on. 

“It seems to happen more and more now,” Kenji continued, and his voice had gotten quieter and a little shaky. “When I try to connect to the Force.”

Obi-Wan stared at him. He had heard of such things, of Jedi psychically wounded in various ways being cut off by their connection to the Force. But he had never heard of anyone becoming ill when using the Force. He desperately wished that Qui-Gon were here. Qui-Gon had studied topics like these a bit, but the practical Obi-Wan had always regarded such things as being for Temple soul healers and not for Knights.

“I’m sure Eldris will help you,” Obi-Wan said kindly. “Or perhaps if not you could go back to the Temple -”

Kenji turned his head away, but made no reply.

Obi-Wan was about to speak again, but had suddenly sensed the unmistakable presence of his apprentice in the infirmary. Something was wrong.

“He fell,” Anakin’s voice was saying, presumably to Eldris. “He hit one of the rocks in the river.”

Obi-Wan turned to see Eldris and Anakin supporting a wet and dripping Eraan as they helped him to one of the empty beds. The side of Eraan’s face was bloody and he had a hastily applied field bandage from a medkit over his right temple, which didn’t cover the entirety of the gash. He was conscious but appeared dazed.

Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan, obviously surprised to see him here. “Master. Eraan’s hurt,” He said, his voice shaky. Anakin looked a mess, wet from the knees down, the front of his tunic smeared with dirt and blood. Obi-Wan also noted a black mark from a lightsaber training blade on his right shoulder.

Eldris and the medical droid had begun working on Eraan, inspecting and cleaning his injuries, and Obi-Wan gently steered his apprentice away from the bedside. Neither one of them needed to be in the way of the healer.

“It’s my fault, Master,” Anakin told him, throwing a helpless glance toward his friend.

“Go outside, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said. “I’ll meet you out there in a moment.”

Anakin went, and Obi-Wan turned toward Kenji again, but the younger man’s eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. He studied him for a few moments, then sighed and left the infirmary, stepping back into the warmth of the summer afternoon.

Anakin had sat down on the stone benth on the side of the building and was resting his face in his hands, the picture of dejection. Obi-Wan sat down beside him.

“Eraan will be all right, I’m sure. He's in good hands.”

“There was so much blood,” Anakin said, not looking at him.

Obi-Wan put his hand on his shoulder. “What happened?” He had an idea of course. No doubt some too-rough play, and judging from the mark on Anakin’s shoulder, lightsabers had been involved. There was a reason that younger padawans were generally discouraged from sparring without oversight. Young adolescents especially tended not to understand their own strength, especially when emotions ran high.

Anakin swallowed. “We were sparring, Master. It was my fault. I talked him into it, he didn’t want to. I guess things got out of hand. He fell.” He sniffled and wiped his eye with his sleeve. “I really am sorry.”

Obi-Wan sighed. He could only hope the boy had learned something from this. “You were on that log, weren’t you?”

“You’re probably mad at me, huh?” Anakin wiped his dirty hands on his pants, leaving a smudge mark.

“I can’t say I’m happy, but you sound as if you’re displeased enough with yourself for both of us,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin scooted toward him and attempted to wrap his arms around his mentor, but Obi-Wan pried him off, not at all in the mood for cuddles from an overwrought and grimy apprentice. “Go back to our quarters and get cleaned up and get your head clear. Dinner’s in half an hour.”

Anakin regarded him sulkily. “Can’t I stay here with Eraan?”

“You’ll do no good here. You can visit him later tonight. Now, go.”

Anakin reluctantly rose and headed toward their rooms. Obi-Wan watched him go, not quite admitting to himself that he didn’t completely trust the boy not to veer off in a different direction to do who-knew-what. Anakin hadn’t exactly been a shining example of obedience lately. Not that he ever truly was. But hopefully this unfortunate incident would jar him into thinking about the consequences of his actions, at least for a while. In any case, Obi-Wan planned on keeping him on a shorter leash for a while.

* * *

Anakin kept to himself at dinner, having opted to sit at the end of the table by himself instead of in his customary place across from his master. A few people tried to engage him in conversation, some offering their sympathies about Eraan’s accident, but he met their friendliness with only shrugs and curt remarks. Obi-Wan watched him sullenly push his food around his plate, not eating, until he couldn’t stand it anymore and got up and walked over to his padawan and knelt down beside him.

“I know you’re upset about this afternoon but sulking like this is not going to help anyone.”

“Can I be excused?” Anakin asked, not looking at him. “I’m not hungry.”

“Fine,” Obi-Wan sighed. He knew that Anakin was worried about Eraan and no doubt wanted to go check in on him. Forcing his padawan to eat was not a battle he was eager to engage in right now.

Anakin got up quickly, but Obi-Wan stopped him. “I want you back in our quarters by 2000 hours.” 

“Yes, Master,” Anakin nodded, even if he didn’t look happy.

Obi-Wan sat back down to eat the rest of his rapidly cooling dinner, though he found most of his own appetite had gone. But he smiled as Declan sat down in the empty seat across from him.

“I just heard from the healers'. They say Eraan's okay but they're keeping him overnight just to monitor.” He shook his head. “Those kids….” He trailed off. Nothing else needed to be said.

“That's a relief," Obi-Wan said.

“You’ve really got your hands full with those boys, don’t you?”

“We both do, don’t we?” Obi-Wan thought for a moment. “How much do you know about what’s going on with Kenji?”

The rueful smile disappeared from Declan’s face. “I was hoping to ask you the same thing. I only just got back from town. It’s getting bad with him, isn’t it?”

Obi-Wan pushed his plate away. “Let’s go outside.”

* * *

They stood outside the dining hall in the pleasant summer evening, Declan glowering into the distance at what Obi-Wan had told him.

“Gets sick when he uses the Force? I’ve never heard of anything like that.” He stroked his chin. “But he’s been a little..off..for a while. Since he came back from that blasted place.”

“The cave?” Obi-Wan asked.

Declan nodded slowly. “He was gone for days. Seemed okay at first when he came back, but it wasn’t long before he started acting weird. Like he was somewhere else. Unfocused. He’d have his moments where he seemed all right but mostly you couldn’t have a halfway normal conversation with him.”

“We should see what Eldris has to say when she finishes her assessments but I think we should contact the Temple about this,” Obi-Wan told him.

Declan gave him a curious look. “‘We?’”

Obi-Wan felt a bit embarrassed. He didn’t know why he felt so responsible for Kenji. He barely knew the boy. Yet something seemed to be pulling him to this situation. “Perhaps I am overstepping-”

Declan laughed kindly and squeezed Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “You’re turning into your old master, that’s what’s happening. I’d be glad to have you step up. Yes, let’s wait to hear what Eldris says, but if we need to take it to the Temple it sure wouldn’t hurt to have a Knight on my side.” He looked off into the distance again. “He really belongs to you lot anyway. I probably should have put my foot down and never let him stay here. He’s not a farmer.”

Obi-Wan thought so as well. But he understood. “You wanted to give him refuge.”

“Yeah. But this shouldn’t be a place for exiles. Self-imposed, or otherwise.” He gave Obi-Wan that rueful smile again. “I’m going to go check in on Eraan, see how he's doing.”

“Anakin was eager to get down there himself,” Obi-Wan said. “He says what happened is his fault.”

Declan shook his head impatiently. “That’s very noble I’m sure, but it takes two to spar, doesn’t it?” He turned to go. “You coming with?”

“No,” Obi-Wan said. “Not now. I don’t want to crowd him. I’ll see him tomorrow.”

They said their farewells and Obi-Wan returned to his quarters, feeling exhausted and looking forward to a little relaxation at last. Although he felt bad about Eraan’s injuries, at least it might cause the boys to slow down for a little while. He felt they all needed it.

He was surprised when he entered their chambers to see Anakin was already there, standing out on the balcony. The boy must have heard him come in, but didn’t turn to look.

“Padawan?” Obi-Wan said. “You’re here early.”

Anakin still didn’t turn around. “Yeah,” he said. There was a bit of a tremble in his voice.

“What’s wrong?” Obi-Wan asked, concerned that Eraan was more injured than they'd believed. “Please look at me.”

Anakin turned to face him, and Obi-Wan saw that his eyes were red. The boy wiped at them self consciously. “He didn’t want to talk to me, Master.”

“He was angry?” Obi-Wan asked. He had a feeling that more had happened than Anakin wanted to tell him. But it didn’t seem wise to push him about it now. 

Anakin nodded. Obi-Wan walked out to join him on the balcony. “Don’t let it bother you too much. I’m sure he’ll come around. He’s had a hard day and just needs some time.”

The boy didn’t respond or look at him, but gripped the rail of the balcony tightly. Obi-Wan considered his words. There was no room in a Jedi’s life for the luxury of wallowing in self pity and regret. He knew Anakin understood this intellectually, but in practice he struggled with that hard truth. And to impress that truth on him in a compassionate and meaningful way had always been Obi-Wan’s struggle. He was no Yoda, and he knew it.

“He needs rest,” Obi-Wan said, trying to sound gentle. “You do too.”

Anakin didn’t answer again, and Obi-Wan felt himself begin to grow annoyed. But he made himself inhale and release his irritation with his breath. “Come and meditate with me.”

“That’s always your answer to everything,” Anakin grumbled, not looking at him.

Obi-Wan bristled at the boy’s tone. “I find it generally solves more problems than sulking does.”

Anakin gave him a look that would have sent a wild rancor fleeing, then turned again.

“All right.” Obi-Wan had had enough. “You may stay here on the balcony sulking then. But you’re not to come inside until I tell you to.”

“Fine,” Anakin huffed.

Obi-Wan took another breath and went inside, settling himself down onto the meditation cushions and planning on demonstrating some real Jedi serenity to his ill-behaved apprentice, for all the good it would do. A few minutes passed in relative peace. But Anakin’s footsteps passing by him caused Obi-Wan to open his eyes.

“I don’t recall giving you permission to come back inside.”

“Oh, you were serious?” Anakin said. He didn’t wait for a reply. “I’m going to my room with your kind permission, Master.”

Obi-Wan stared at his padawan. The boy was really testing him and the whole situation was frankly getting ridiculous. Anakin started to walk back toward his bedroom again, but Obi-Wan rose to his feet and grabbed him from behind, wrapping his arms tightly around his middle.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Anakin cried out in outrage, struggling in vain. He’d been growing rapidly, but Obi-Wan was still stronger for the time being. “What are you doing?”

“Teaching my disobedient padawan a lesson,” Obi-Wan said. He wasn’t feeling merciful. Still gripping Anakin with one arm, he began to tickle him with his other hand, getting him in his armpit.

“Hey!” Anakin gasped, apparently outraged but laughing helplessly.

“If you spent more time meditating and developing inner tranquility maybe you wouldn’t be vulnerable to these sorts of attacks,” Obi-Wan said calmly, wrestling his writhing apprentice to the ground and not ceasing his assault. “Look, I’ve brought this mighty Jedi to his knees with only some tickling. He is poorly trained.”

“Whose fault is that,” Anakin laughed, still struggling fruitlessly against Obi-Wan’s grip.

“Insolence, Padawan? Even now?” Obi-Wan said with mock indignation, increasing the intensity of his attack. “Not wise.”

“Master,” Anakin wheezed, reaching for a nearby meditation pillow and thrusting it feebly at Obi-Wan’s head.

“‘ _ Master _ !’” Obi-Wan mocked. “‘ _ Oh, Master, please stop! I’ll be good _ .’”

“I - don’t -sound like that!” Anakin protested through his laughter.

Obi-Wan at last let go of the boy, sitting back and watching Anakin pant on the floor, still laughing and trying to get his breath back. “Are you all right, Master? Are you losing it?”

“Sometimes I wonder if I am, Anakin,” Obi-Wan sighed, smiling. An image came to his mind suddenly of the members of the High Council shaking their heads in disapproval at the way he had handled his apprentice. But at the moment he didn’t care. Whatever that had been, it had at least shaken Anakin out of his mood.

The padawan laid there, quiet now, even calm. But the silence of the room was broken a moment later by the sound of his rumbling stomach.

“I’m hungry,” Anakin sighed.

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. “Me too.”


	17. Target Practice

“What are we doing today, Master?” Anakin asked, his eyes on the library seat normally occupied by Eraan. Today it was empty. Anakin was not too surprised. After all, Eraan no doubt needed a day to rest and recover. But surely he’d be back?

Obi-Wan had returned to their usual table with a stack of books in his arms. He set a large tome in front of his apprentice without comment.

“Oh,” Anakin said distastefully. “This?”

“Yes, this,” Obi-Wan replied. He sounded tired.

“What section?”

“What do you think?” Obi-Wan asked him.

Anakin looked down at the book in front of him, It was titled Character Development for Young Jedi and it was one he was intimately familiar with because Obi-Wan made him hand copy text from it almost every time he was annoyed with him about doing something impulsive. He sighed. Somehow he’d hoped that Obi-Wan would think that Anakin’s feeling bad about what happened with Eraan would be punishment enough. But adults didn’t always see things that way. 

“I guess prudence?”

“A reasonable guess,” Obi-Wan replied.

Anakin suppressed a groan, but opened the book to the correct spot and reached for a few sheets of flimsiplast to start writing. This was an exercise he was intimately familiar with. Obi-Wan had probably made him copy out the section on prudence about fifteen times, more than any other section, though the section concerning patience was a close runner up. Anakin had practically memorized both chapters.

It was dull work, but in a way better than regular lessons, which would have more painfully reminded Anakin that Eraan was not there. It still hurt when he thought about their last meeting. Eraan hadn’t yelled or anything..he had just not wanted to talk to Anakin at all. Had turned away and not even wanted to look at him. And Anakin had understood why. He  _ had  _ lost control the other day. Had gotten angry when Eraan had landed a hit to his arm. He hadn’t expected that, and had let his emotions get the better of him. He was glad Obi-Wan had not been around to see that.

At least Obi-Wan didn’t seem mad. His demeanor was a little preoccupied, as if his mind had already moved on to other, more important things. Anakin was glad that his master had chosen to stay with him in the library instead of leaving him alone.

He stole a glance over at Obi-Wan, who had three books open in front of him, and seemed to be looking from one text to the other as if comparing them.

“What are you reading?” He asked, not able to help himself.

“Have you finished yet, Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked, not looking up.

“No, Master.”

“Well, you’d better finish then, don’t you think?” Obi-Wan said, now giving him a pointed look.

Now burning with curiosity, Anakin swallowed a reply. When Obi-Wan gave him that look, there was no use arguing. He returned to his copying, mouthing the words to himself as he wrote. At last he finished, and slid the flimsiplast toward his master for him to inspect.

Obi-Wan gave it a quick look. “Anakin, your handwriting really is something else.” He set the sheets aside.

“Can I have that back?” Anakin asked. 

Obi-Wan looked confused but handed the sheets back. “Why?”

“I started saving them so I could compile them into a book to give you when I’m knighted,” Anakin said.

“You are impossible,” Obi-Wan sighed. But he smiled.

“Will you tell me what you’re reading now?” Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan looked for a moment like he was thinking that he didn’t want to, but then his features softened a bit. “Kenji is ill. I’m doing some research that may help Healer Eldris. Though I fear this may be beyond both of us.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Anakin asked. He got up from his chair to go stand next to Obi-Wan’s and peered down at the text in front of him. It was in a language he didn’t understand. “What is this?”

“He becomes ill when he attempts to connect to the Force,” Obi-Wan said. “We suspect it may have something to do with that cave you and I visited. Kenji went in there alone a while back -”

“It made him sick?” Anakin asked.

“We don’t know for sure. I’m trying to get a better sense of the place. These books are accounts from the first few centuries of the Jedi presence here. I’m hoping to find some answers. I wish…” He trailed off.

“What do you wish, Master?” Anakin asked.

“Just that...well, Qui-Gon knew more about this place than me. He probably even read all these books. It would be..helpful if he were here.”

Anakin nodded. He felt a little sad for his master, though he didn’t exactly know why. Obi-Wan always seemed to carry a bit of a weight, but today he sensed that it pressed on him more heavily than normal. He felt bad now, suddenly, for giving him a hard time the night before. His master hadn’t done anything to deserve it, and had barely even retaliated (besides the tickling, which had been funny.) He wondered why Obi-Wan was often so patient with him.

“Can I help?” He offered.

Obi-Wan pushed a book toward him. “This one is in Basic. It’s a bit archaic but you should be able to read it easily.”

Anakin took it gratefully and opened it. It was an account of ancient farmers, some of the first on the planet, and the accounts of their dealings with the tribes that had settled on the planet centuries before. Mostly it was dry, accounts of various conflicts and trade dealings. There were only a few mentions of Jedi at all, and nothing about the Force.

As he read, he began to think about Eraan again. This seemed like the type of thing that Eraan would like, and he probably knew more about the planet than either Anakin or Obi-Wan did. And surely he couldn't still be angry with him. They hadn’t been friends long, but Anakin could already tell Eraan wasn’t the type that would hold a grudge. He’d been raised in the Temple, after all, where kids were taught that kind of thing from an early age.

“Master?”

Obi-Wan looked up.

“Can I go find Eraan? I want to see if he’s okay.”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said. “But don’t go running off. We’ll still have lessons this afternoon and Declan has some tasks for you.”

Anakin promised he would. He had a feeling Obi-Wan was going to be keeping a closer watch on him after the sparring incident, and he wasn’t thrilled about that, but knew he couldn’t do much about it except be patient.

* * *

Anakin was heading down the path near the main storehouse when he heard the unmistakable sound of blaster fire in the distance. Instinctively, he put his hand to the hilt of his ‘saber, feeling himself spring into ready mode. But he came to his senses quickly. The blaster sounds were even spaced and well controlled, not the quick chaotic bursts one might expect in a real conflict. He relaxed again, but curious, headed off in the direction of the noise.

He came to the edge of a slight hill and peered down to see the lone shooter who was in fact the boy Anakin had been hoping to find - facing a stone wall - probably all that was left of an ancient building long since gone to ruin. On top of the wall various pieces of scrap metal had been placed in a row. He grinned and ran down the hill to meet his friend.

“Eraan!”

The boy turned to face him, his expression serene. He still wore a bandage on his temple. His left arm too was bandaged, his finger in a splint. Anakin felt bad. He hadn’t even realized Eraan had broken his finger as well.

“Are you feeling better?” Anakin asked.

Eraan nodded. “Yeah. Kind of have a headache, but I didn’t want to be drugged up all day.”

“Why didn’t you come to lessons?” Anakin asked. “What are you doing out here?”

“Target practice,” Eraan answered. He turned back to the wall and raised his blaser again.

“Why do you carry a blaster anyway?” Anakin asked, a little annoyed that Eraan hadn’t answered his question about class. “Isn’t a lightsaber enough?”

“Declan wanted me to carry it,” Eraan said. “We still get pirates and raiders coming through here sometimes. Not since I’ve been living here, but it could happen. Most farmers carry blasters and you’re more likely to get messed with if you don’t have one. Don’t know if I’d ever really shoot anyone though.” He raised his weapon and fired, hitting a large can squarely in the middle and sending it hurtling backwards through the air.

Anakin decided to cut to the chase. “Are you coming back to lessons then? This afternoon?”

Eraan didn’t look at him, but raised his blaster again and sent another can flying. “What’s the point, anyway?”

Anakin stared at him. “What do you mean, ‘what’s the point’? Don’t you want the training?”

Eraan lowered the blaster now, and looked at him. “I’m not going to be a Jedi. So what’s the point? If I was gonna be a good Jedi they wouldn’t have sent me out here. I don’t want to waste any more time pretending.”

“Is it because I hurt you? I’m sorry about that. I just got..carried away.”

“No,” Eraan sighed.

“Then what is it?” He thought for a moment. “Obi-Wan’s not mad at you, you know. He knows it’s all my fault. I told him.”

Eraan laughed then, but it was a joyless laugh. “You don’t let up, do you?”

“I have a feeling you’re not telling me something.” Anakin took a step closer to his friend. Eraan was right. He didn’t let up. He needed to understand.

Eraan was silent for a while, but Anakin willed himself to be patient. At last his friend spoke.

“When I was in the infirmary last night, Kenji told me everything about what happened...you know, with his master. He never really talked to me that much before you know? But it was strange…”

Anakin frowned. He didn’t see what Kenji’s master had to do with anything. He’d only heard bits and pieces about the former padawan. He probably knew much less than even Eraan did, only that he’d been killed on a mission some years ago.

Eraan continued. “I was so..well, I was really scared to hear about it. And just being that scared..I don’t see how I could be a Jedi, if just hearing about that makes me feel this way. When he was talking to me about it, it was almost as if I was there. Like I could see everything.”

Anakin searched for words to reassure his friend, but none came. He understood the dismay Eraan must be feeling. But he would have never let himself feel that kind of fear. He just knew he would just never let anything so horrible happen to Obi-Wan as what had happened to Kenji’s master. He’d never be that weak.

“See,” Eraan whispered, the blaster now hanging limply at his sighed. “I’d make a terrible Jedi. The masters at the Temple were right.”

“Well, I don’t think that’s true,” Anakin said stubbornly. “Why don’t you come back with me to lessons? Obi-Wan can help.”

Eraan glared at him, suddenly angry. “I don’t need him to help. He doesn’t know me.”

“Yeah, but...” Anakin began, but then stopped himself. Obi-Wan was right. Eraan probably just needed some time. He was upset. How many times had he himself said things he didn’t mean in the heat of the moment? “He does care about you. But, okay. You don’t have to do anything you don’t wanna do.”

Eraan visibly relaxed a little. They stood in awkward silence until Anakin gestured toward the blaster. “Think I could try? I haven’t used a blaster in a long time.”

Eraan held the weapon out toward him. Anakin held it in his hand for a moment. A long time ago, before he became a Jedi, he’d always wanted a blaster. Slaves weren’t allowed weapons of course, which made him want one all the more. Knowing that he had no way to protect his mom, and that the means of protection were forbidden had made him feel so helpless, and so weak. So angry.

He raised the weapon and after aiming squeezed the trigger, feeling satisfied as the burst of laser screamed out of it, blasting a hole through the metal plate on the wall. He turned to Eraan. “But this is too easy. You should throw something in the air for me. Something small.”

After a moment of thinking they began to gather up some of the small, hard fruits that had fallen from a nearby tree. Eraan flung them into the air one at a time, as hard as he could, and Anakin blasted them neatly, only missing one, and then Eraan took his turn to shoot. The game was satisfying in an apologetically savage kind of way, and for a few moments he forgot his frustrations. 

“Now I kind of want a blaster,” he said after they had run out of fruit.

It was then he felt Obi-Wan’s presence nearby and turned to see his master walking down the hill toward them. Had he really come looking for Anakin? Had they been shooting for that long?

“Target practice?” Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin nodded and held the blaster out toward him. “Want to try?”

He wasn’t sure if his master would take it. He’d never seen Obi-Wan hold a blaster in his life and it was hard to imagine him shooting anything. But Obi-Wan reached out to take it. Eraan scrambled for more fruit and managed to find a couple, though they had blasted most of what they’d found already. Anakin watched as Eraan flung it up into the air and Obi-Wan casually raised the blaster and fired, blasting it to pieces. Eraan moved to throw again, but Obi-Wan handed him his blaster back.

“I hope you boys had a good talk. Eraan, are you feeling well?”

Eraan nodded. “Yes, mostly.”

“Well, I hope you go easy on yourself for a little while.” He turned to Anakin. “We should be getting back to work soon.”

“So, are you coming?” Anakin asked Eraan. Maybe he’d fold now that Obi-Wan was here, standing with them. But Eraan’s jaw clenched with stubborn defiance.

“No. I told you no.”

Obi-Wan stood looking at them calmly for a moment and assessing the situation. “Eraan, you’re free to join us when you’re ready.” He turned and motioned for Anakin to follow. “Come on, Padawan.” 

“Master, Eraan said he didn’t want to train with us at all anymore. Can’t you please tell him he should come with us?” Anakin said, unable to help himself. In his opinion, this was for Eraan’s own good. Obi-Wan should have seen that.

“Leave it, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said.

“But-”

“Don’t try and use your master to tell me what to do,” Eraan huffed, and without waiting for Anakin’s response, turned and stalked away in the direction of the woods.

Ashamed and angry, Anakin looked at the ground. He should have been able to say something that would have made Eraan come back. He should have said that Kenji was sick, and Eraan needed to help. He wanted to run after Eraan, but there was no way Obi-Wan would let him.

“He’s not obligated to come with us, Padawan,” Obi-Wan said softly.

Anakin knew that, but he still hated it. And now he’d made things worse. Obi-Wan put his hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

“You have to let him go.”

Anakin couldn’t bring himself to agree. He’d heard about letting go a thousand times, about a thousand things. It was the Jedi way. But it was hard to say ‘yes,’ to it sometimes. 

“I’ll speak with him later. For now, we have work to do,” Obi-Wan told him, his tone a little less gentle now. Without waiting for Anakin’s response, he began walking back up the hill. There was nothing for Anakin to do other than to follow him.


	18. Midnight

_ Obi-Wan stared in revulsion at the face of the thing at his feet, the blue glow of his lightsaber the only light in the cave. He wanted desperately to turn his weapon on again, to forget he had turned it on. But he knew he had to face what he’d done. _

_ The thing was writhing and screeching in agony. The spiny, twitching hairs of its face were covered in thick slime from its mouth. The limbs that Obi-Wan had severed from its long body lay nearby on the floor of the cave, and the rancid, burnt smell of flesh hung in the air. Obi-Wan watched the thing in silence, holding the hilt of his weapon in sweaty palms. He caught Qui-Gon’s eye and couldn’t break the gaze, as much as he wanted to. _

_ “Your fear has done this,” Qui-Gon said, looking down at the thing. _

_ “I know, Master. I’m sorry.” _

_ Qui-Gon did not speak again, but his eyes were questioning.  _ Are you going to put it out of its misery?

Obi-Wan woke up then, with a start as if someone were shaking him. That was the part of the dream where he always woke up. He shifted in his bed, taking a long breath in and letting it out slowly and gazing out the window at the night sky. The moons of Helia were bright and piercing. Morning was still several hours away, but Obi-Wan already knew there would be no more sleep for him tonight. 

He got out of bed and dressed, thinking about the dream. It was a strange one, but familiar. A dream which had grown out of a memory of his time here on Helia with Qui-Gon. The very first time they’d come here together. What happened in the dream wasn’t quite what had happened in the cave, Obi-Wan knew, but he’d had the dream in the exact same way so many times that it was getting hard to remember that. 

The day it had happened, Qui-Gon had told him to keep his lightsaber turned off as they walked through the cave, but a noise behind Obi-Wan had startled him, and his reflexes had taken over. He’d whirled around to see that horrible face not two feet away, gaping and drooling from a mouth filled with needle-like teeth. He’d lunged forward without hesitation, and when the creature had reared up, he’d come close to attacking it, but Qui-Gon had met his blade with his own. Obi-Wan had quickly come to his senses, realizing how close he’d come to hurting something that was just an animal, for no reason other than that he was afraid. They hadn’t gone further into the cave that day.

He hadn’t actually hurt the thing, he reminded himself over and over. But every time he woke up he felt as ashamed as if he had.

After dressing, Obi-Wan exited his room and passed by Anakin’s. His padawan had left his door open and Obi-Wan peered in. The boy was sprawled out face down on his bed, tangled blankets covering only his legs. As long as Obi-Wan had known him, he had always kicked and thrashed in his sleep. 

_ Always fighting something. Or someone. _

Obi-Wan padded softly into the room, shielding his presence in the Force so that Anakin would not detect him and wake. Gently, he pulled the blankets back over him. Anakin sighed and murmured something, but did not open his eyes. Almost peaceful, now. Still such a boy, yet growing fast. It wouldn’t be long now before they were partners in the field. Though he was looking forward to it, Obi-Wan’s stomach always twisted a bit when he wondered how well he’d actually prepared him for the trials that lay ahead.

_ Why have I brought him here, _ Obi-Wan wondered as he stood over the boy.  _ Has it really done him any good? _ Or had coming here really been about his own sentimentality and misplaced nostalgia? No matter. They were here now. The Force would guide them, as it always had.

Obi-Wan took one more look at his sleeping apprentice before heading out of their quarters and taking the path toward the library. He’d spoken with Eldris earlier that evening, and she’d confessed that none of her tests or her healing meditations had found anything medically wrong with Kenji.

_ Which is not to say he’s not in a bad state, _ she’d said. But he’d be better looked after at the Temple.

Obi-Wan had agreed. He would contact the Temple tomorrow. But he still felt bound, somehow, to find out as much as he could about the roots of the boy’s predicament, especially as others might suffer the same fate in the future. There had to be  _ something _ .

He sat in the library for an hour or so, relishing the silence as he read by the warm glow of the table lamps. It was a familiar presence behind him that caused him to stop reading mid sentence, but he did not look up.

“You should be in bed.”

“ _ You  _ should be in bed,” Anakin retorted, coming to stand by his side.

“I’ll keep my own counsel on that, thank you,” Obi-Wan said. When Anakin didn’t reply, he looked up, his hand resting on the pages of the book to keep his place. “Is there something wrong?”

Anakin had fully dressed as well as if ready to start the day, but his face was drawn and tired. He shrugged. “I woke up and you were gone.”

“Bad dream?” Obi-Wan asked, knowing the boy was not going to admit to such on his own. Anakin had always been prone to nightmares, in his early days at the Temple had often used to wake up Obi-Wan in the night for consolation once he’d realized his new master would offer it. But these days he was more guarded.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Obi-Wan asked when Anakin didn’t answer. “I won’t force you to, of course.”

Anakin took a deep breath. “It was about you, Master. I dreamed that I disappointed you. Let you down.”

“How? What happened?” 

The boy shrugged again.”I don’t remember. It was more like just a feeling.”

“You know that’s not how I feel about you,” Obi-Wan said. “You’ve never let me down at all.”

“But my dreams come true, sometimes.”

Perhaps it was the lateness of the hour and the lack of rest that compelled him to do it, but Obi-Wan reached out toward his padawan then, wrapping his arm around his waist and pulling him closer. He could sense Anakin’s surprise as he gently pulled him down onto his lap, but the boy did not struggle or tense. He wrapped his arms around his master and pressed his face against his shoulder. But it wasn’t long before his teenage pride got the better of him.

“I’m too big for this.”

“Oh?” Obi-Wan couldn’t exactly argue with that. Anakin didn’t fit on his lap as well as he once had.

Anakin raised his head and looked at him, near laughter. “I’m too old.”

“Go on and get up, then,” Obi-Wan answered, knowing he wouldn’t. Anakin’s imprint on the Force was bright and contented. He sank back down onto his master’s shoulder with a defeated sigh. 

“Thank you for coming to talk to me,” Obi-Wan said. He meant it sincerely. “I do like to know when you’re troubled.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t been so great lately. Even if you’re not disappointed, I haven’t been the best padawan.”

Obi-Wan gave the boy a squeeze. “Just know that I’m always here to help you. No matter what. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Anakin whispered. “Master?”

“Yes?”

Anakin raised his head again. “Did you talk to Eraan?”

“No,” Obi-Wan said. “He’s been elusive today. I suspect he was avoiding me as much as you.”

Anakin groaned. “I really blew it, didn’t I?”

“There’s no need to catastrophize this,” Obi-Wan chided gently. “Just give it some time.”

“I will,” Anakin promised.

Obi-Wan gave him a pat on the back. “Good. Now I will ask that you  _ do  _ hop down,” he said. “I’m losing feeling in my leg.”

Anakin laughed and stood up, flopping down once again in the chair beside his master. “Is Kenji gonna be okay? Did you find anything?”

“Some descriptions of the Vergence, but nothing too specific,” Obi-Wan said. He pushed one of his open books toward his apprentice. “This one talks about the strength of the darkside there. Within every vergence there tend to be concentrations of Light and Dark, but not always balanced. Here it’s quite strong.”

“Is that what’s making Kenji sick?” Anakin asked, looking down at the text. “The dark side?”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “I’ve never heard of anything like that. Jedi have been bringing their students into that cave for ages, as a test. I never heard of anyone getting ill.”

There was silence again between them as Anakin read. “This says there are something called  _ Formless _ in the cave,” he asked after a moment. “Those are beings?”

“I don’t know much about them. It’s said that they are living things without a body. They inhabit the space between the physical plain and the pure Force. Some call them spirits, but it’s said they are born and die like physical beings. But since they’re not physical, they can’t be studied using normal scientific means.”

Anakin pondered this for a moment. “Can they look physical though? Like a person?”

“Yes, it’s said they can appear to have form. Whatever they wish,” Obi-Wan said.

“And they’re evil?”

Obi-Wan sighed. “That I don’t know. Just that they draw their strength where the Force is strong. Light or Dark.”

“Maybe some are light and some are dark,” Anakin offered. “Maybe the dark ones are making Kenji sick.”

“Perhaps. But we really don’t know, and we can’t make leaps like that at this point.” Obi-Wan sighed. “That’s why I need to contact the Temple tomorrow. I hope Master Yoda is available.”

“He’s been around so long, he  _ has  _ to know something? Right?” Anakin asked.

“That’s certainly my hope, but it is a big Galaxy,” Obi-Wan said. “I doubt even Master Yoda has seen everything yet.

They passed into companionable silence, reading through the books on the table. Obi-Wan suspected his apprentice had stopped talking because he was indeed tired, and smiled when looked over after a while and saw Anakin sleeping with his head in his arms. He looked peaceful.

Obi-Wan returned to his reading with the faith that the rest of his padawan’s dreams that night would be sweeter.


	19. Before Dawn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter mentions suicidal thoughts/behavior of an OC. Nothing terribly intense but just thought I'd warn.
> 
> This was a hard one to write, but I hope to pick up the pace with my updates. I would say this story is probably about 3/4 finished at this point, so the end is in sight. In some ways, it feels like I just started writing it. Thanks to everyone who has been reading this! It can feel intimidating being a (newish?) author in such a massive fandom and sometimes it just feels like your stuff gets buried. So it means a lot to know people are enjoying it.
> 
> Feel free to reach out to me on my [tumblr](https://peachybitters.tumblr.com). I'm trying to get to know more people in fandom!
> 
> Hope everyone is staying safe, well and healthy.

* * *

“Why don’t you go back to bed?” Obi-Wan asked as he and Anakin entered their quarters.

“But it’s morning,” Anakin said, rubbing at his eyes. He’d been vexed that Obi-Wan had not woken him til it was time to leave the library and still sounded bad-tempered.

He was right, technically. They’d been at the library for a while. The sun had just begun to rise and their chambers were already filling with a soft grey light. But Obi-Wan was not feeling particularly eager to get on with the day and thought his apprentice could use a couple more hours of sleep in an actual bed after spending a couple with his cheek pressed against the library table. 

“Barely. You can meditate with me if you like,” Obi-Wan said, taking off his robe.

Anakin seemed to think about that for a moment, then shook his head and disappeared into his bedroom. Obi-Wan settled down on his regular cushion. He had no plans to return to bed but knew some meditation would refresh him. He couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. The library had provided no further answers, no useful information to give to Declan or Eldris or the Temple. But Obi-Wan had been a Jedi long enough to know that answers could reveal themselves in the Force at seemingly the most random of times. One simply had to be open.

Obi-Wan opened himself now, losing himself in the Force, concentrating on the living things nearby in the strange in-between time between night and dawn- the quiet and hesitant first stirrings of birds, the settling down of the nocturnal animals as they awaited another evening. Everything around him peaceful, but expectant. 

It was then that a disturbance like a knife ripped through that peace, sending pulsing waves of anxiety through his mind. Such a disturbance might have pulled him out of the meditation when he’d been younger and less trained. Years of self-discipline and self mastery were the only things keeping him focused now. He probed at the source, focusing on his breath, keeping himself open and without judgement.

He needed to go.

Obi-Wan brought himself out of the meditation, but kept himself connected to the Force and the answers it was trying to give to him. He grabbed the robe he had just hung up and left the apartment, closing the door softly behind him.

* * *

He found them not far away, near one of the little paths that led down to the river. Declan and Kenji were sparring, a slow languid match, almost like they were running through drills. But no- Obi-Wan felt a chill run through him as he got closer. This was no friendly match.

Declan didn’t look at him as he got closer, but Obi-Wan thought he could feel his relief through the Force. He held his lightsaber up in front of him with a tight stiffness of one unpracticed. Kenji’s face was wet with sweat or tears, a few strands of unkempt dark hair sticking to his skin. He was shifting his weight from one foot to the other unsteadily, unbalanced. Obi-Wan thought about reaching for his own weapon, but thought better of it. 

“Kenji,” he said softly.

Kenji whipped his head to look at him, as if he’d just noticed his presence there. He stared at Obi-Wan with dull, unfocused eyes.

“You aren’t well,” Obi-Wan said. “Please put your weapon down. We want to help you.”

Kenji was silent for a few moments as if trying to remember how to speak. He looked from one Jedi to the other before slowly shaking his head.

“You should kill me.”

He lunged at Obi-Wan suddenly with his blade, but his movements were clumsy and uncoordinated. Obi-Wan moved out of the way easily. Kenji fell to his knees, dropping his weapon with some reluctance. Just as soon as it hit the grass, it flew back up into Declan’s waiting hand.

Obi-Wan moved slowly to the boy whose body was now racked with silent, heaving sobs. He himself could hardly believe the situation. As half-hearted as Kenji’s attack may have been, no Jedi had ever attacked him. It took him a moment to calm his own racing pulse.

“We will help you,” Obi-Wan said, crouching down to look at him. “It’s all right.”

“No,” Kenji said, looking Obi-Wan in the eye now. A challenge. “You must kill me. I’ve turned my blade on you.”

“We’ll do nothing of the sort,” Declan said fiercely.

Kenji’s gaze remained on Obi-Wan and spoke in a voice hoarse but certain. Obi-Wan felt a cold wave pass over him, almost through him, and tried not to shudder. “If you won’t, the Council will.”

Obi-Wan put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and squeezed, determined not to let this go further. “Sleep,” he commanded. Kenji blinked once, then his eyes closed and his head lolled to one side.

“Didn’t think that worked on Jedi,” Declan said quietly as together they hoisted Kenji up from the ground.

“Not usually,” Obi-Wan said. “He’s in a terribly weakened state. But we should get him sedated.”

“Obi-Wan.” Declan sounded pained as they began to move in the direction of the infirmary, kenji’s arms around their shoulders. “We don’t tell anyone the full truth about this, right? Not about him turning his blade to us.”

“No one here,” Obi-Wan agreed. “But we must contact the Temple -”

“The Council?” Declan huffed. “They don’t need-”

“Yoda,” Obi-Wan said firmly. This was not up for debate, as far as he was concerned. “Only Yoda.”

* * *

A short time later they stood in Declan’s office explaining their situation to a familiar holographic figure.

“He woke me up shortly before dawn this morning,” Declan was saying. “Said he needed to talk. But what he really wanted to do was lead me away to a more secluded place. And he...well, he tried to get me to end his life. There’s something very..wrong with him.”

“Disturbing,” Yoda said gravely. “Attack you, did he?”

Declan looked at Obi-Wan, a brief flash of fear in his eyes. 

“He attacked us both, Master, though without real aggression,” Obi-Wan explained. “I don’t believe he’s turned -”

“No,” Yoda said firmly. “In despair, he is. Left the Temple, he should have not. Ventured into that cave, he should have not.”

“So you know what happened to him?” Obi-Wan asked. 

“Nothing was done to him, but what he allowed. As we draw our strength from the Force, now other forces draw their strength from the darkness in him. Weakened he was, and weaker still he will grow.”

“I don’t understand,” Declan said, frowning. “Can this be fixed?”

“Should we send him back to the Temple?” Obi-Wan asked. “To the soul healers?”

Yoda sighed. “Resisted the Temple for so long, he has, “I fear that help him,we cannot. But send someone to you soon, I will.”

They ended the transmission and the office was filled with an uneasy silence. Declan did not appear comforted in the least by Yoda’s promises. He went to his desk chair and sat down, frowning toward the open window which now framed the brilliant pink and orange Helian dawn.

“Should have seen this coming,” Declan said at last. “Should have gotten him some real help.” He rubbed his hand across his face. Obi-Wan wondered how early he’d gotten up, or if he’d slept at all. “I know, I know...no point in regretting what’s done. Have to live in the present.”

“I’ll help in any way I can,” Obi-Wan told him.

“I know you will,” Declan said, giving him a sad smile. 

* * *

After a cup of tea with Declan, Obi-Wan found himself in a slightly less troubled state, taking at least some comfort in knowing that they’d done all they could for Kenji for the time being. Now they had to be patient and wait for the Force to present them with answers. The hardest part was always patience. Despite what Anakin might have stubbornly believed, patience had never come naturally or easily to Obi-Wan. Over the years, he had fought and strived for it. Years with Qui-Gon had helped.

He was walking down the path past the bantha enclosure when he saw the familiar figure of Eraan going into the barn with a large sack over his shoulder. Obi-Wan followed him in. Of course it didn’t take long for the boy to notice. He glanced over his shoulder at the Jedi, unsmiling, and heaved the bag down on the ground. Snuffling curiously, the mother bantha approached from the edge of her pen. Her cub trotted after her, steadier - and considerably hairier - than the last time Obi-Wan had seen it.

“How have you been, Eraan?” Obi-Wan asked, watching as the boy picked a large vegetable out of the sack and held them out toward the larger animal.

“Okay,” Eraan said.

“Are you worried about Kenji?”

Eraan looked at him sharply, as if unable to comprehend such a foolish question. “We all are. But I thought he was getting better. They let him out of the healers’.”

“He is there again, I’m afraid,” Obi-Wan said. “But Master Yoda is sending someone to help.”

“Yoda? Who?” Eraan said. “And when?” He turned fully to face Obi-Wan now, as if challenging him. 

“I don’t know yet, and soon,” Obi-Wan said, unable to keep himself from smiling a little. Eraan had a strength of spirit that he had grown fond of. A fearlessness at his core, deep down, under those layers of uncertainty. There was a keen insight, a questioning mind. An understanding of goodness.

 _He might have been a padawan_ , Obi-Wan thought. _And a good one._ He wondered what the masters of the temple had seen in him - or perhaps, what they hadn’t seen.

He wondered if the boy could see these things in himself. He hoped so.

“I know what you want to ask me,” Eraan said.

“And what’s that?”

“You want me to come and train with you and Anakin again.”

“Do _you_ want me to ask you that?” Obi-Wan said. “Or were you hoping I wouldn’t?”

Eraan pulled another couple vegetables and fed them to his waiting bantha again before answering. “I was thinking about why I got sent here,” he said. “It’s not because I’m bad at using the Force, or anything like that. It’s because I didn’t know. I didn’t know what I wanted. To be a Jedi, you have to _know._ ”

 _Do or do not,_ Obi-Wan though. Yes. Theirs was a life of ‘all or nothing’. A half committed Jedi was far worse, much more of a danger to himself and others than one who chose not to continue on the path of training.

“That’s true. And what do you know now?” Obi-Wan asked.

“I know that maybe I ended up here for a reason,” Eraan said, though his voice shook when he said it, just a little. “When I was in the infirmary, the Force showed me what happened to Kenji. Maybe it was telling me, ‘be glad you didn’t end up like him.’”

Now it was Obi-Wan’s turn to challenge. “You don’t sound sure about that.”

“Well, what do you want me to say?” Eraan snapped. “That I know I should be a Jedi? That training with you made me see that? Obviously, that’s not going to happen.”

“There are different ways to be a Jedi.”

“Sure there are,” Eraan snorted. He picked up his empty bag and stalked past the Jedi into the brightness of the morning.

“Eraan-”

But the boy was gone.

The bantha made a grunt of protest as he left, then stuck her head out toward Obi-Wan expectantly. He stroked her cheek as well as he could through the layers of ropy dark hair. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t have any more food for you.” He sighed. “I know they’re teenagers, but this shouldn’t be so difficult, should it? Was I ever so hard to reason with? What am I supposed to do?”

The bantha snorted and turned away, returning to the hay bale. 

“I suppose that’s as good an idea as any, for now,” Obi-Wan said. He left the barn to go see about finding something to eat.


	20. Brothers

The spaceport hummed with an energy and noise that felt almost jarring to Obi-Wan after his weeks at the farm. Like almost all spaceports, it was loud and dirty and crowded, full of travelers of all races and statuses, shouting and bickering and laughing in a hundred languages. The summer holiday season on Helia was apparently in full swing, and the port was full of all sorts of tourists from the surrounding area and beyond. And, here and there, more unsavory looking characters lurked in the shadows.

Being back here made him reflect on the stay so far. It had,he had to admit, not been as relaxing as he’d hoped. He smiled to himself, imaging the weary and vaguely disapproving look Mace Windu was sure to give him when they saw each other next. No doubt he’d say something about Obi-Wan’s complete incompetence when it came to taking holidays.

_ Maybe it’s just not my fate _ , Obi-Wan thought to himself, walking through the crowd. He had snuck away quietly, letting only Declan know he was on his way to pick up their visitor who was arriving on a shuttle from the nearby system of Aelth. He felt a pang of guilt that he had not told Anakin - his padawan would have surely insisted on coming, but Obi-Wan needed to meet the visitor on his own. No, that wasn’t entirely honest. Not needed. Perhaps he was being selfish. He wanted some time alone with the Jedi who was coming to them. Some time that would be free from Anakin’s questions and interjections. Besides, Declan had put the boy to work with a few projects he was no doubt enjoying, and a busy and productive Anakin was always a good thing.

Obi-Wan arrived at the docking bay just minutes before the shuttle landed and watched as the ramp lowered. A group of humans - a family- made their way down the ramp, chatting with one another and looking glad to be off of the cramped ship. The last passenger, a man by himself, followed them down, dressed in familiar loose brown and cream robes. Here was the Jedi Master Yoda had promised them. 

Obi-Wan had not seen Feemor in four years, not since the death of Qui-Gon, the master they had both trained under years apart from one another. And then it had been a brief meeting. Before that, it had been years and years since they’d spoken. Feemor served as a Jedi Sentinel and rarely came to the Temple, roaming the unstable systems between the Midrim and Outer Rim, between Republic space and more wild and lawless territories.

He looked very much as Obi-Wan had remembered him - a rather short and stocky man, his long white blond hair pulled up into a top knot. His face was unhandsome but serene and strangely unlined, though he must have been near fifty standard years. 

He saw Obi-Wan at once, and bowed his head slightly, addressing him in a soft voice. “My friend. It is good to see you.”

“You as well. We thank you for coming.”

Feemor only inclined his head again slightly at the thanks.

“I thought they might have given you your own ship,” Obi-Wan remarked as they began to leave the platform.

“It was badly damaged in the Syrion asteroid belt,” Feemor said as they merged with a throng of people on the main pedestrian pathway through the spaceport. “Though curiously, not by an asteroid.”

He stopped suddenly and looked up slightly, as if listening for something. Obi-Wan waited, wondering if there was something Feemor sensed that he did not. Obi-Wan was not surprised. Qui-Gon had often behaved similarly with him. Stopping in the middle of a conversation or a thought, tilting his head upwards as if picking up something on the wind. At the time this habit had been maddening to Obi-Wan. Now it stirred something in his heart. 

There was something decidedly  _ Qui-Gon _ about Feemor - That familiar aloofness, an air of mystery. Obi-Wan wondered if there were qualities of his master that had rubbed off on him that he couldn’t perceive. 

After a moment Feemor looked to him again, his pale blue eyes piercing. 

“This boy, Kenji. What do you know about him?’

Obi-Wan shook his head. “I confess not much.” He looked around the street, then nodded toward a tavern on the other side of the road. “Shall we sit down for a few moments? I can explain what I know.”

A few minutes later they were sitting at one of the tavern’s outside tables with drinks. Feemor frowned thoughtfully as Obi-Wan explained what he knew of Kenji’s past and his strange ailments.

“Did Yoda tell you why he sent me?” Feemor asked, peering into his cup of ale but not drinking it. It was a locally made and very strong drink the Helians were very proud of. Refusing it had not been an option - their server had pretended not to understand when Obi-Wan had asked for a pot of cold tea instead, though he had brought the tea as well.. Obi-Wan sipped on it, leaving his own ale untouched.

“I assumed it was partially because of your jurisdiction in this sector,” Obi-Wan said. “Was there another reason?” He hoped Feemor would say that he had expertise in this area. As a former apprentice of Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan assumed that Feemor had also spent time on Helia and perhaps knew something of its secrets.

“I think so.” Feemor set the full cup down and looked at him. “Shortly before his master was killed, Kenji managed to activate a distress beacon on his ship.”

“And you were the one who came,” Obi-Wan said.

Feemor nodded. “Though when I arrived, the boy had taken care of the situation himself.”

“You mean -”

“Yes. He’d killed most of his assailants by the time I’d gotten there. A few of them escaped out of the pods. The cowards. Or the smart ones, if you prefer. The rest probably thought they could take a single Jedi padawan, especially a wounded one.”

Obi-Wan looked down, pondering the horror of the situation. No Jedi wanted to kill, if it could be helped. But anyone would have done the same as Kenji.

“I took him back to the Temple. He barely said a word,” Feemor said sadly. “I wish that I could have done more for him. I wanted to stay with him at the Temple, but I was needed back out here.”

Obi-Wan did not know what else to say, but he had felt similar things. Feemor’s had trembled slightly with a regret all too familiar to any Jedi. The pain of seeing suffering and only being able to help so much. Of being pulled in too many directions. They were taught as younglings that the most you could do at times was consign the fates of others to the Will of the Force, and to find peace in that. Detachment had to be favored in order to avoid madness and unbearable suffering; still, the shadow of regret still lingered. Qui-Gon had seen such regret as unavoidable.

_ It reminds us that we are human. That we still have hearts. _

Obi-Wan thought he was only just beginning to understand.

“I wonder what our master would have done,” he said.

“It is hard to know,” said Feemor, looking thoughtful. “He could sometimes see farther than most.”

“He was unpredictable,” Obi-Wan said. “It drove me mad, sometimes. But I suppose I needed to be kept on my toes. I was a bit stodgy, even as a boy.”

Feemor looked at him serenely, offering nothing. There was so much about this man Obi-Wan did not know. The Force around him flowed gently, full of secrets and hidden things.

“Were you close?” Obi-Wan asked.

“No,” said Feemor without hesitation. “If by close you mean  _ affectionate _ .” His answer held no hint of emotion.

“Have you trained a padawan?” Obi-Wan asked, finding himself surprised by the revelation but knowing better than to press the older Jedi.

“I have,” Feemor replied. “Some years ago. She died shortly after her knighting, in a theta storm on Khelios.” Again, his voice held no pain, though Obi-Wan detected a ripple in the Force around him, subtle but unhidden.

“I’m sorry. This is a great loss.”

Feemor nodded once. “Our path is seldom a gentle one.”

Obi-Wan thought of making further small talk but a heaviness had seemed to settle over the conversation, thick and impenetrable. Feemor did not seem the type to appreciate small talk anyway. Obi-Wan supposed he had spent too much time around politicians and delegates, who loved filling space with the sound of chatter, even if they themselves were unamused by it. 

They walked back to the speeder in silence. The day had started to warm considerably, and Feemor took off his brown cloak and slung it over his shoulder as they walked. Obi-Wan found his eye going immediately to the lightsaber hilt at Feemor’s left side. It was Qui-Gon’s lightsaber, unmistakably.

As a matter of tradition Obi-Wan had handed it over to Feemor, Qui-Gon’s first apprentice, after their master’s death, though he’d expected the other to have laid it to rest in the Temple Archives by now. Strange that he was still holding onto it, though he’d said they had not been close. But it was not his place to pry.

“I was wondering if you might take me straight away to the ancient shrine. The vergence,” Feemor said as they got into the speeder.

_ Now _ ? Obi-Wan wondered. He supposed he had thought they would go back to the farm first. Ther vergence was miles out of the way, and it would be late by the time they got back. But he supposed he couldn’t argue with the man who had been sent to help him.

“Of course,” Obi-Wan said.

Feemor seemed to pick up on his hesitation. “I will be better able to assess the situation.”

“Of course,” Obi-Wan said again, this time with more resolve.

_ What are we to each other? _ Obi-Wan wondered as he drove the speeder down the backroads. Neither he nor Feemor had said word in several minutes. Obi-Wan had let his mind wander a bit. Some Jedi who had masters in common referred to one another as brothers and sisters, often smiling about it as if it were a joke, a bit of silliness. But Obi-Wan knew that those who called each other by such titles did not really think it a laughing matter at all. They shared a bond, perceived by those around them. They were dear to one another. Obi-Wan had often wondered what that would be like. Qui-Gon, he knew, had had such a bond with his own brother padawan, Rael Aveross, though he also knew that in later years they hadn’t been so close. But Qui-Gon had brought Rael up often, how Rael had mentored him and helped him in the early years of his apprenticeship when things were sometimes shaky and unsure.

It doesn’t matter, Obi-Wan told himself. Were not all Jedi like brothers and sisters? Was it really helpful to force these familiar associations onto their relationships just because they’d trained under the same master? Feemor wasn’t his brother, at least no more than any other Jedi. They barely knew one another.

It was late afternoon by the time they reached their destination and began the hike up into the entrance. Together, they placed their hands on the smooth stone entrance, and as always it slid slowly away.

_ How does it work, _ he remembered asking Qui-Gon, the first time his master had brought him here.  _ How did they build it? _

Qui-Gon had only told him to be quiet and clear his mind, but Obi-Wan had asked again later. Qui-Gon had smiled at him then, but had not been much help. _Such secrets have long since been lost to the ages._

Obi-Wan had been unsatisfied with that response. Shouldn’t the Jedi Order have preserved all knowledge? Wasn’t that what the Archives were for? It seemed utterly careless to him, unbecoming of his beloved Order, that any knowledge or wisdom should be “lost to the ages.” But Qui-Gon had seemed either unable or unwilling to offer any solace about that. Obi-Wan had kept himself up at night mulling over the mystery of the door and other things, his mind going around in hopeless circles. It was not til later that he realized some things just didn’t matter.

They passed through the dark cave and then back out again into the sunlight on the other side. Feemor did not pause, but continued down the stairs to the shallow pool at the bottom. Obi-Wan followed.

“This was a sacred shrine, even before the offworld humans arrived,” Feemor remarked.. “Long before the Jedi came. The Force is strong here, and always will be. Even if the Jedi themselves disappear.”

Obi-Wan had difficulty imagining a Galaxy without the Jedi, and he’d tried to. All things pass, he’d been taught. But he could only hope that every star in the Galaxy would die out before the Jedi did.

Feemor climbed atop one of the pillars and settled into meditation. Obi-Wan watched him for a moment before climbing up onto one of the others. But his own meditation was fractured, unfocused. The waterfall behind him seemed to roar in his ears. After a time, he opened his eyes. Feemor still sat in his meditation, his conscious thoughts dissolved into the peace of the Force. Three fluttering insects had settled on his shoulders, flapping transparent wings lazily as if fanning him in the afternoon heat.

* * *

When they left the site, making their way back down the ridge, the sun had just begun to set, throwing a warm orange glow over the hillsides. Obi-Wan did not ask how Feemor’s meditation had gone, but as if sensing his curiosity, the older Jedi turned to him.

“I would like to bring the boy here tomorrow.”

“As you wish,” Obi-Wan said simply. He wondered what Feemor had in mind, but supposed it would reveal itself.

“You will come with me?”

“If you request it,” Obi-Wan said, a bit taken aback. Feemor offered no more explanation, and returned to silence as they made their way to the farm. He really was like Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan mused. Qui-Gon, who had so often made plans and not revealed them until the last moment, and then often with reluctance. It was as if he’d expected Obi-Wan to read his mind. 

“ _ I might be a Jedi, Master _ ,” Obi-Wan had snapped at him once. “ _ But I’m not that talented _ .”

He cringed at the memory. These days it was his apprentice who often bore the brunt of his sharpness. Anakin. He should have brought him here. Before they reached the speeder, he pulled out his commlink and waited for his padawan’s voice to answer. But no answer came. He sighed and put it away.

* * *

Anakin was not in their quarters when Obi-Wan finally returned. It was dark outside, but only barely. It was not terribly late. The summer solstice had passed and the days were already getting noticeably shorter. Obi-Wan reached out, feeling his padawan’s presence nearby.

He found Anakin in the maintenance garage, his back turned to the door as he worked on one of the old speeder bikes they had taken out not so long ago. Anakin must have sensed his master’s presence, but he said nothing.

“You didn’t answer my comm,” Obi-Wan said. He meant it matter-of-factly, but felt the boy bristle. 

“I guess I didn’t hear it,” Anakin said, still not turning.

“Are you upset?” Obi-Wan asked, knowing the answer already.

“You missed dinner,” Anakin said. “I thought you thought that was rude. I guess it’s only rude when I do it.” The last part was muttered, though not quietly enough.

Obi-Wan sighed and stepped forward and sat down on an upended crate near the bike, annoyed but determined to ignore Anakin’s attempt to pick a fight. He wasn’t up for playing those games this evening. “Yes...we went a bit out of the way. That’s why I tried to comm you.”

Anakin finally looked at him. “You could’ve taken me with you, Master.”

“You were occupied,” Obi-Wan said. “Tell me what else is troubling you. Is it Eraan?”

Anakin shrugged, and Obi-Wan knew that it was.

“I did try and talk to him-”

“It doesn’t matter,” Anakin said in a tone that suggested it mattered a lot. “I’m trying not to think about him. He can be weird and angry all he wants. We’ll be gone soon anyway.” He looked at Obi-Wan hopefully. “Right?”

Obi-Wan was taken aback at that. Things had been rocky lately, but was his apprentice really so miserable? Perhaps at the very least he’d appreciate the Temple more when they returned.

“Not for a while. I sense we’re needed here, for now. Let’s try and make the best of it, all right?”

“All right,” Anakin agreed, and with that his mind and his mood seemed to change gears rapidly. “What’s the new Jedi like? Who is it?”

Obi-Wan smiled and began to tell him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks for reading! I cherish your comments. :)
> 
> Some random notes: The Feemor I wrote in this story is similar to the one I wrote in my story "The First." However, I don't think of these stories taking place in exactly the same universe (for example, I don't think Xanatos exists in this timeline). I am a terrible cherry-picker when it comes to Legends and Canon material and even my own stories. However, everything within the "Anakin and Obi-Wan" series is supposed to exist within the same continuity.


	21. A Wild Bantha Chase

Anakin grinned as Obi-Wan sat down across from him at the refectory table. A part of him hadn’t expected his master to show up for breakfast. When he’d woken up that morning, Obi-Wan had already left their quarters; he’d left a note that he would see Anakin later on. 

“Where’s Master Feemor?” He asked eagerly, watching Obi-Wan pour himself some caf from a pot in the middle of the table. Obi-Wan had told him about the Jedi last night, and Anakin was intrigued. He hadn’t even known Master Qui-Gon had had a padawan before Obi-Wan. Apparently, Obi-Wan didn’t know a lot about him either, but he had told Anakin all he knew. Anakin was eager to meet him for himself. He liked the idea of Feemor, a Jedi Sentinel who didn’t bother with hanging around the stuffy Temple, but who ranged across the stars looking for injustice to conquer and wrongs to right. Anakin could see himself doing just that kind of thing someday.

“Patience,” was Obi-Wan's predictable answer. “He’s with Kenji. He’s not exactly here to socialize. You’ll meet him in due time.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin sighed. He stole a glance over at Eraan, who was frowning into his bowl of porridge at the end of the table. He’d given up even trying to talk to him lately. Eraan hadn’t exactly been hostile to him, just a little brusque and cold. But it wasn't starting to feel like they weren't even friends anymore.

“I wish I could do something,” Anakin said quietly, “I know I can’t, but I still wish I could.”

Obi-Wan gave him a sympathetic look. “I know you do.”

They ate in silence for a moment or two before Obi-Wan addressed him in a somewhat more serious voice. “I won’t be with you for your lessons today. But I want you to continue with the reading you’ve been working on. And I have some meditations for you. And the- well, I’ll write you a list before I go.”

“Where are you going?” Anakin asked with surprise, his mouth still full of partially chewed toast. 

“I’m going to spend the day assisting Feemor,” Obi-Wan said. His voice had that slightly stern edge it always had when he was expecting Anakin to put up a fight, even if Anakin had barely said anything yet. 

“That’s not fair. Why can’t I come?” Anakin asked, feeling sulky. He glared down into his bowl, mashing a few of his remaining berries with the back of his spoon and watching the red juice spurt out of them.

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to reply, but whether he was going to genuinely answer or scold Anakin for a contrary attitude, he never found out. Declan was standing near the front of the room and had started to shout. All conversation in the refectory abruptly halted.

“Somebody left the gate to the West paddock open, and Jooni’s out,” he said, glaring at them all. “Again.”

Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow at Anakin.

“What, you think it was me?” Anakin asked, offended. “I didn’t leave any old gate open.”

Obi-Wan just looked at Declan. “Anakin will be happy to wrangle him,” he said.

“But I didn’t do it,” Anakin huffed. He wasn’t done arguing with Obi-Wan about why he had to stay at the farm, and didn’t care for this turn of events. “Leave the gate open, I mean. Why do I have to-”

“I don’t care who did it,” Declan interrupted. “I just need him in before he gets into the nysillin.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose and muttered, half to himself. “You people think I don’t have enough problems on my mind right now?”

“Anakin will go,” Obi-Wan said in a firmer voice, aiming a well-practiced warning look at his padawan.

Declan nodded sternly, but his eye went to Eraan. “You’re going with him, kid.”

Eraan looked up at him with a kind of weary expression before getting up slowly and stalking out of the dining hall without comment.

Anakin stood, not bothering to hide his scowl. On any other day, he might have been intrigued by the bantha-wrangling assignment, but now he just felt as if Obi-Wan was trying to get rid of him.

“Report back to Declan when the bantha is back in the paddock,” Obi-Wan said. “And don’t dawdle. I still mean for you to study today.”

“Yes, Master,” Anakin said, trying his best to make the words sound as sour as possible.

He ran out of the dining hall to catch up with Eraan, who was evidently not interested in waiting for him. But it didn’t take him long to catch up with the other boy.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Eraan said flatly, his pace quick and impatient.

Anakin had an idea. “I don’t think we should go on foot. Can I show you something?”

Eraan shrugged but allowed Anakin to lead him to the maintenance garage,where he’d spent most of the day before. Pleased with himself, he pulled the coverings off the projects that were resting in the back of the garage, revealing two speeders. They were both dull and banged up looking - the next thing would be to give them a wizard paint job. But other than that, they were perfect. Well,he’d only tested out one of them, so far. But he still  _ knew _ .

“Let’s go for a ride.”

* * *

This is more like it, Anakin thought as they sped through the fields. He’d spent a long time working on the bikes, especially the throttle, and it had paid off. They were almost fast and powerful enough for his taste. Almost. They were as good as they could be, for the time being. His only regret was that he wouldn’t be able to bring them back to the Temple.

Eraan had suggested they only take one speeder, since one of them could ride the bantha back (probably Eraan, Anakin thought). He sat behind Anakin now, even though Anakin had generously offered to let him drive. His mind was already working, planning an outing for them where they could both drive a speeder. That is, if Eraan wanted to be friends again. Anakin had tried to crack a couple jokes to liven his mood, but hadn’t got much of a reaction. Still, it seemed to him that he had loosened up a bit on the ride. It was hard for anyone to be in a sullen mood when you were riding on a speeder bike on a lovely summer morning with the wind in your hair, Anakin thought.

It wasn’t long before they spotted their quarry, a huge brown mass among the brilliant green of the nysillin fields. The boys slowed, pondering their next move.

Used for breeding, Jooni was a notoriously temperamental bull bantha. Anakin knew he would not go quietly.

“I guess they expect you to use your beast control powers on him,” Anakin said drily, watching Jooni munch the precious healing plants. Anakin had learned that the farm grew these herbs especially for the Temple, but also shipped out to needy planets from time to time. Every plant was needed, and he didn’t blame Declan too much for being cranky about the bantha getting into the field. Ultimately the blame would be on his head as the director of the facility.

Eraan snorted. “‘Beast control powers’. Don’t be stupid. It’s just using the Force. Anyone can do it. Any Jedi.”

Anakin didn’t say anything. He wasn’t sure. Usually he was very sure of his abilities, but there was something about animals so..unpredictable. They weren’t like machines, that you could program to do exactly what you wanted them to. They had their own minds. Influencing an animal really did feel like magic to him. He’d had a little success before, but not with anything so  _ big _ . 

“Is the great Anakin Skywalker afraid?” Asked Eraan, cocking a dark eyebrow at him. Anakin couldn’t be sure, but he thought he may have detected a hint of good humor underneath the sneer.

This was a dare if he ever heard one. Anakin hopped off his speeder, flashing a grin at the other boy. “Me? Never.” He looked back over at the bantha, who had raised his head suspiciously at the boys. Anakin knew that banthas were smarter than they looked. And stubborn, especially the bulls. He’d have to plan his move carefully.

“Those horns can really hurt,” Eraan observed helpfully.

“Thanks,” Anakin said.

He crept forward, reaching out into the Force. The first step would be to calm himself.

_ I am a pool of tranquility, _ he told himself.  _ I am one with the Force.  _

The Force connected him to all living beings, big and small. He had nothing to fear from any of them. They were one.

The bantha put his head back down, continuing to graze on the precious crops. Anakin kept moving forward, trying to connect his mind with the bull’s. Force, but those horns were big though.

_ There’s much better food in the paddock _ , he thought, trying to conjure a mental image to send to the animal. This wasn’t so different from the Jedi mind trick, the problem was sometimes it was harder to make an animal understand you than to do the same to a sentient being. Sometimes they just didn’t understand what you were trying to say, or they just didn’t care. The hard part was the  _ connecting. _

_ You hate nysillin _ , Anakin “told” the bantha, and it raised its shaggy brown head.  _ Isn’t it bitter _ ?

Jooni snorted and shook his head. Anakin felt a glimmer of hope. Was it working? He couldn’t get too excited. He had to focus. As much as he wanted to look back at Eraan for reassurance, he forced himself to keep his eyes on the bantha, and crept ever closer.

Jooni pawed at the ground, and it had not been lost on Anakin that he hadn’t taken another bite. He seemed to have lost interest in the crops.

_ Just stay there _ , Anakin thought at him.  _ Let me take you back _ .

Gently, he grabbed a hold of one of the thick, ropey strands of the bantha’s hair. “I’ll just climb up on you,” he said aloud, his voice barely above a whisper. “Then I’ll help you get back home.”

Jooni snorted again, louder this time, but Anakin managed to keep his calm. He reached down into the thick hair and found some skin to scratch. The bantha made a sound that seemed like it could have been a moan of pleasure. 

Anakin flashed a grin of triumph over at Eraan. “See?” He called. “This wasn’t so hard.”

Before it happened, Eraan gave him a look of horror that Anakin didn’t comprehend at first. Jooni gave an outraged below and shook his whole, huge body. Anakin desperately clung to the creature’s fur, but in an instant found himself flying. He hit the ground with a merciless thud, but kept himself rolling lest he be trampled under the bantha’s large feet. Panting, he sat up only to watch the bantha loping quickly away.

“Get on the bike!” He cried to Eraan as soon as he got his breath back. He jumped to his feet quickly and started running. Silly animal. What had set it off?

Anakin hopped back onto the bike and started it up, Eraan behind him again.

“Catch up with him, then I’ll try and calm him down,” Eraan said.

“You sure you can do that?”

Ahead of them, the bantha was practically sprinting through the fields. Anakin realized he had never seen one run so fast in his life, and there had been plenty on Tatooine. He remembered them as slow, plodding creatures.

“Trust me.”

Anakin complied, catching up with Jooni and slowing his bike a bit to keep pace. They rode like that for a few moments before he felt and saw Eraan jump from the bike, grabbing onto the bantha’s fur and scrambling quickly up on its back. He looked up to see Eraan grinning down at him, imperious. Gradually, the bantha slowed, calmed by Eraan’s ineffable skill. Anakin slowed the bike as well and looked up at his friend in wonder.

“See?” Eraan called down to him.

“He’s...calm?” Anakin asked skeptically, not really believing and feeling a little embarrassed still about his fall.

“You really do have a lot to learn, huh?” Eraan said, smirking a little. The bantha turned slowly around, and began the familiar lumbering march back to the paddock.

“I guess I do. Master Obi-Wan already tells me so about thirty times a day,” Anakin admitted, turning his own speeder. “Can’t you make that thing go any faster? Obi-Wan told me not to dawdle.”

“What, you wanna race?” 

Anakin grinned and revved his bike in a quick warning before speeding off toward the paddock, laughing at Eraan’s startled cry behind him.

* * *

They found Declan in his office, frowning over some holo charts on his desk.

“He’s back in,” Anakin breathed, still exhilarated from the small adventure. “We did it.”

Declan looked up, unsmiling. “My thanks to you boys.”

“Is Master Obi-Wan still here?” He still had a bit of hope that he could still, somehow convince Obi-Wan to let him come along and do whatever he was doing. But even before Declan answered, his heart gave him the disappointing answer.

Declan shook his head, getting up and grabbing a sheet of flimsi from his desk as he did so. “Nope. Left with Kenji and Feemor a little while ago. Wanted me to give you this.” He handed the sheet to Anakin. Written on it in Obi-Wan’s neat handwriting was the promised list of tasks. Anakin folded it up and stuffed it into one of his belt pouches, annoyed.

“Where’d they go? What are they doing?” He demanded. His voice was too loud, but he didn’t care.

Declan rubbed at his temple and sat back down into his desk chair, returning his attention to the charts before him. “If he didn’t tell you already, it’s probably not for you to know.”

Before Anakin had much of a chance to react to that, Declan looked up again. “Eraan, I need you to do some research for me. We’ve got some directors coming in next week, and I want you to write up a report on the current ecological situation on Maldazo Major. It’s likely the Corps will be starting a new operation there within a year. I sent my notes to the library console.”

Eraan agreed, then both boys turned to leave, Anakin clenching his jaw in frustration. He waited til they were out of earshot, making their way down the stairs, until he elbowed his friend.

“You wanna go for a ride? Like, a real ride?” 

Eraan frowned at him, suspicious. “What do you mean?”

They made their way outside to where they’d parked the bike in front of the administration building. “I don’t mean all day,” Anakin said. “We’ll go to the library after. I want to have some fun before being cooped up all day.” He thought about the stupid list Obi-Wan had left for him. He had barely glanced at it, but it looked long, and Anakin frankly did not think he could stand doing all of it without having a little fun first.The excitement of the bantha chase had gotten him worked up. And even more, he and Eraan seemed to be friends again. That was the most exciting thing that had happened in several days. Yes, Obi-Wan would probably have his hide if he knew he wasn’t going to the library straight away. But it was a big ‘if.’ He had a feeling his master was due to be gone for a while. Anakin was willing to chance it.

Eraan glanced furtively up at Declan’s office window before looking back at Anakin and nodding. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “But I want the other one.”

“Of course! Let’s go.”

Several minutes later they were speeding through the fields again, their cares and responsibilities for the moment forgotten.

  
  



	22. Realignment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone had great holidays, Happy New Year to you all. hope you enjoy the new chapter.

“I don’t want to go back.”

It was the first time Kenji had spoken since they left the farm. Now he, Obi-Wan and Feemor stood facing the familiar cliffside, contemplating their entry into the Vergence.

“You already agreed,” Feemor said simply. “I do not think there is another way for you to be healed.”

“It’s..this place is draining me,” Kenji said. “I feel weak.”

“You are being called here,” Feemor said. “You will be realigned. I promise. As we discussed.”

Obi-Wan looked from one Jedi to the other, having nothing to add to their disagreement. He still did not understand exactly what his role was here, if it was to be anything more than moral support. Feemor and Kenji had clearly discussed what was to happen, but to Obi-Wan the plan remained a mystery. His feelings, however, told him that this wasn’t a time for questions; it was a time to keep silence and observe.

Feemor laid his hand against the rock and looked at him. Understanding, Obi-Wan also pressed his hand against the warm stone, and waited. Nothing happened.

“It’s me,” Kenji said from behind them, a note of soft despair in his voice . “It must be. I’m stopping it.”

“Put your hand here,” Feemor ordered. “It wants  _ you. _ ”

Kenji looked startled, but took a couple timid steps forward, reaching his hand toward the stone as if steeling himself to touch something that might burn him.

“It won’t hurt you,” Feemor said.

Kenji slapped his hand to the rock and squeezed his eyes shut, as if preparing himself for pain. But when the door started sliding away, he visibly relaxed.

“You will lead us,” Feemor said as the three of them stood peering into the darkness.

Kenji stepped forward slowly, and Obi-Wan could feel the boy’s fear lessening a bit. That was good. Feemor looked at him and nodded, and Obi-Wan followed Kenji into the darkness, Feemor following closely behind. They walked slowly and quietly, keeping their senses alert and sharp. Obi-Wan turned his head at the familiar skittering sound coming from their right.

“They’re horrible, aren’t they?” Came Kenji’s voice in the blackness.

“Hush,” Feemor admonished him.

At last the light greeted them again.

“We will make our way straight down to the cave,” Feemor said. He looked at Kenji. “As we discussed.”

Kenji’s eyes narrowed, but he gave the older man a curt nod. As they walked the path down to the waterfall, Obi-Wan found himself trailing behind at a distance. Feemor was leaning toward the younger man, speaking softly to him, one hand resting gently on his shoulder. He thought about his padawan, holed up in the library at the farm, no doubt unhappy. Before they left Helia, he would bring him back here again.

Feemor led them into the cave entrance without hesitation, surprising Obi-Wan a bit. It was as if Feemor was entering this wellspring of the Force as if entering an old, familiar training room. But he followed without comment. Kenji did also, apparently buoyed from whatever words Feemor had spoken to him.

Perhaps Feemor would complete his training, he thought. The boy did seem to trust him. That was a start.

A wave of cold hit him head on, causing him to wince a bit despite his best efforts, but he centered himself and kept moving. It had been so long since he’d been here, and he was glad he wasn't alone now. He didn’t remember much about the place, had never desired to explore it more than he needed to. Thankfully, Qui-Gon had never asked him to spend much time in this cave.

But it seemed that Feemor was quite familiar with this place. He turned to the left, where there was nothing but a sheer wall of rock, and placed his hand against it. There was grinding noise, and soon after the rock began to lift up, revealing an opening with a corridor behind it. It was well lit enough to see a bit; there must have been an opening above somewhere.

“And now you will lead us again,” Feemor said softly to Kenji, gesturing with his hand.

Kenji sighed but moved forward, apparently resigned. Obi-Wan was the last through the opening now, and when he was fully in, the rock slid shut behind him. Kenji walked slowly through the narrow passageway as if sensing for traps. But Obi-Wan could sense no danger. The only thing strange about the place was the way the vines hanging down from the cave’s ceiling would twitch ever so often, as if reacting to them. He didn't remember that.

It began to grow hotter, and darker. They reached a crevice like a large black gash in the cave wall, ominous and uninviting. Feemor again gestured for Kenji to continue. The younger man crouched down and disappeared into the gash.

_ Brave boy _ , thought Obi-Wan. He was sure that he himself would have hesitated before going in, if only a little. He waited for Feemor to go, then went himself, crouching down and shuffling into the opening. Once inside, he couldn’t quite stand up completely, but it was enough that he could walk. He shuffled along in the pitch black of this new cave, feeling the ground with his feet in front of him and keeping his hand to the warm, damp wall beside him. He was moving downwards, though gradually. Now he was sweating, it was so hot. The sulphurous smell of the air told him they must be near hot springs. This network of caves had many, all of them scalding hot and dangerous. In the darkness he would have to be especially careful.

He pressed on for a few more minutes, and there was only silence around him.

“Feemor?” He called, chiding himself for not calling out sooner. He did not especially want to be separated from his companions.

There was no reply. There was, however, a point of light growing closure as he pressed on. An opening. Perhaps Kenji and Feemor had already made their way out of this darkness.

This new crevice opened up into a small chamber that Obi-Wan moved into cautiously. In the center there was a steaming pool of water glowing with an eerie bioluminescent green light from the organisms living in it. It was just light enough that he could see comfortably, though it was dim. He took a moment to wipe the sweat from his forehead and look about the room for another exit. But surely if Kenji and Feemor had come through this way they would have waited for him…

“Obi-Wan.”

He turned his head sharply and had to stop himself from crying aloud. The figure of Qui-Gon Jinn stood to his left only a few feet away, his back to the wall. His face was grim and appraising. Obi-Wan's heart pounded.

“Where is the boy I asked you to train?”

Obi-Wan stared at it, unable to find his voice.

“You leave the Chosen One alone with busywork while you go on pointless errands. Is he not your padawan? You're afraid of him.”

“Leave me,” Obi-Wan said, somehow able to find his voice. “I know you're not my master.”

The figure smiled patiently. Qui-Gon’s smile. “I may as well be. I know everything about your master. About you.”

Obi-Wan was feeling dizzy now, and nauseous. Hot beads of stinging sweat had started dripping into his eyes. He couldn’t think.

“I know everything about your padawan, too. More than you do, Master. I know how eagerly the Darkness waits to swallow him.”

“Stop it,” Obi-Wan hissed, stepping backward. He had to get out, to find Feemor. Why had he come here? “You’re nothing.”

“Nothing? The people of this planet once worshipped me as a god,,” said the Thing with an arch of its eyebrow.

A fresh wave of dizziness came over him and Obi-Wan sank down, sitting on the hot stone floor. He knew he needed to get out, to find his way through the dark tunnel behind him once again, but he was so tired. The breath in his lungs was leaden and burning. He shut his eyes.

“Is this better?”

A soft hand was caressing his cheek. Not Qui-Gon’s. It was a woman’s hand, to match the voice that had spoken to him. He forced himself to open his eyes, though he dreaded doing so. But seeing her face would give him more reason to flee.

“Obi,” Satine said, running her fingers softly over his beard. “My love. I am sorry.”

Obi-Wan looked up at her. Long blonde hair hung down about her shoulders, unbound. She’d so seldom worn it that way. It made her look young and free. Too young, she’d thought, but he had secretly loved it. It made her look untroubled and unburdened.

He pushed her hand away, wincing at the realness of it. Why couldn’t she have been a specter out of a story, a vapor he could pass his hands through. Why did it have to be flesh and blood?

“You might have stayed with me,” she said.

He began to crawl away. His eyes were still stinging with sweat - or they might have been tears. He didn’t know. He just had to focus, to center himself somehow. He closed his eyes and reached out, willing oneness with the Force. Peace.

_ Jedi. _

The voice was in his head, but it was not his own. He opened his eyes, and looked around the chamber. It was empty now, but for that steaming cauldron of glowing water. No Qui-Gon, no Satine. He let out a breath.

_ Look up, above you. _

Obi-Wan looked up. About six feet off the ground he could make out an opening in the cavern wall, most of it covered by a curtain of hanging vines.

“Who are you?” Obi-Wan asked aloud, cringing a bit at the hoarseness of his own voice. He was so thirsty.

_ I am not one of Them. Come, your friends are with me. _

Obi-Wan rose shakily to his feet, his eyes still on the opening. He would go. Not because he trusted that voice, exactly, but because he trusted in Feemor, and trusted that Feemor had brought them here for a reason, and that he knew this place and its secrets.

He moved to the wall and grabbed onto the vines that hung down, hoping to hoist himself up. But he didn’t need to use much of his strength. The vines themselves began to move, slowly and it seemed carefully, wrapping themselves around him and pushing him up toward the opening.

_ Good. You’re not afraid. _

“No,” Obi-Wan said. He was in fact feeling more curious than anything, now, even as the vines pulled him into the darkness. This was turning into a very strange day.

  
  



	23. Tracking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks so much for reading! We are getting close...

Anakin laid stretched out on a pad of soft moss enjoying the sound of the small waterfall nearby and the gentle warmth of the morning sun on his face. Or was it still morning? Maybe not. They’d been racing the speeder bikes for a while, up and down the canyon. After a few runs they had started to head back to the farm, but Eraan had insisted on a detour through the woods, finally guiding him to this little clearing within a narrow ravine. It had been a bit of a steep hike so they’d had to leave the bikes about a mile back.

“What time do you suppose it is?” Anakin asked Eraan who was a few yards away, collecting nuts fallen at the base of a tree.

“Early afternoon, probably.”

Anakin thought about the list in his pouch, and all the things he hadn’t yet started, and sighed. They’d have to get back soon if he was to get his studying done. If he didn’t, there was a fair chance he wouldn’t be allowed to do anything remotely fun for a good while, and now that he and Eraan were friends again he didn’t want to spoil it.

He pushed himself up, taking in the beauty of the scene. What he’d seen so far of Helia was nice enough, but this place was something else. The waterfall poured into a clear pool, alongside which grew large, bright flowers of every color. Colorful insects with large flat wings fluttered lazily around the blossoms.

“Do a lot of people visit this area?” Anakin asked. He knew Helia was a popular vacation destination, but aside from the spaceport he hadn’t really seen any tourists or travelers. Or really many people at all, now that he thought about it. There were a few other farms in the area beside the Jedi one, so once in a while they’d passed a dusty old speeder with one or two people in it, but that was about it for the inhabitants of the land. With the exception, of course, of the poachers they’d run across during Anakin’s first week on the planet.

Eraan walked over and deposited a large pile of purplish brown nuts on the mossy ground in front of him. “Not really. Most of the tourists go up to Solkola Falls and places like that, where the resorts and casinos are. People used to come around here for hunting but most of it’s off limits to offworlders now.”

“How'd you find this place?”

Eraan took a nut and crushed it in his hand, no doubt with some Force assistance. “I ran off a lot when I first was sent here and explored most of these woods. It drove Declan crazy, but he didn’t stop me. I think he knew it helped.” He looked around and smiled approvingly. “This place always reminded me of The Room of A Thousand Fountains.”

“You do miss the Temple still, huh?”

Eraan cracked another nut before answering. “Some things. I miss the gardens. And I miss some of my clan mates. I wonder what they’re doing now.”

“Can’t you send them messages?” Anakin asked, taking a nut.

Eraan frowned, crunching his nut slowly, and shrugged. Anakin understood. If he was in Eraan’s position, he probably wouldn’t reach out to anyone at the Temple either. It would be like rubbing salt in his own wounds.

“I came in so late I never had a training clan,” Anakin said. “I always wondered what it would be like, having my friends picked out for me already.”

Eraan laughed as he crushed another nut shell. “Not all my clan mates were my friends. Some of them thought I was too weird.”

“Still. You had somewhere you belonged. No one really knew what to make of me. I guess they still don’t really.”

“Did you-” Eraan started asking, but he fell silent, as if stopping himself.

Anakin looked at him. “Did I what?”

Eraan wiped his fingers on the moss near his feet. The nuts were terribly oily. “Did you have a family you left behind?”

“Just my mom,” Anakin sighed. He answered the next question before Eraan could ask. “And yeah. I miss her still.” He'd never been able to admit that to another Jedi, not since he'd first come to the Temple. Not even Obi-Wan. It felt like a weight had been lifted. At the same time, a deep, raw ache had settled where that weight had been.

“I don't remember my parents,” Eraan said. “Guess maybe that’s a good thing.”

“People act like that’s lucky,” Anakin said. He was feeling defiant now. “Or better. But I’d never want to forget about my mom. Even if it made me a better Jedi. Someday I’m going to go back and-” Now he was the one stopping himself. He took a nut and crushed it in his fist, though he had no intention of eating it.

“Back to do what?” Eraan prodded.

Anakin swallowed, now regretting getting this far. The heaviness had settled back over him. But Eraan was a friend...and Anakin trusted him with this secret like he trusted few people since leaving his home. “My mom and I - we were slaves. And she still is.”

“Oh.” Eraan gave him a long look. Anakin didn’t want to meet his eyes, to see the pitying gaze there. “It’s not your fault, you know.”

It was true enough. And it was such a very  _ Jedi _ thing to say. It was something that Obi-Wan would say, that he had said to Anakin more than once. And Anakin knew it was right. But it didn’t make things hurt any less. He’d meditated before to try and find the source of that burning shame that clawed at him whenever he thought of Mom, or Watto’s shop, or the Hutts and their cronies, but it always evaded him. So now mostly he tried not to think of them. Except for Mom. For her, the pain was worth it.

“It’s okay,” he said. 

Eraan nodded, and Anakin knew he knew his friend would not press him further. He rose to his feet. “There’s some juulberry bushes down the stream a bit, I’m going to go see if they have any berries now.”

Anakin stayed where he was, watching the butterflies and thinking. Today had turned out to be a pretty good day so far. He did still wonder, though, what Obi-Wan was getting up to without him.

A few minutes later Eraan came running through the bushes toward him, his eyes wide. Anakin thought he had never seen the other boy so visibly excited.

“What is it?”

“You’ve got to see this.” He beckoned Anakin over and went bounding back at once.

Anakin followed him through a patch of brush, emerging on the other side to see Eraan crouched down on the bank of the stream, examining an indentation in the mud. He looked up at Anakin and grinned.

“Do you know what I think this is? It’s a tarchya footprint. And it looks fresh.”

Anakin studied the print. He didn’t know what a _tarchya_ was, but it must have been enormous.

Eraan was nearly breathless at the discovery. “No one has seen one around here for a hundred years. They were thought to have been hunted out of existence.”

“How could anyone miss something that big?” Anakin wondered aloud.

“They can squeeze into really tight spots and spend most of their time in the caves and lava tubes underground and in the hills,” Eraan said. “But sometimes they come out to hunt.” He stood, wiping his hands on his pants. “I think it must not be too far from here. I’ve got to find it.”

Without waiting for Anakin’s reply, he hurried away down the ravine. Anakin ran after him.

“Hold on. Don’t we need to get back to the farm? It’s getting late and-” 

Eraan stopped and whirled at him then, not exactly angry, but with a fiery determination in his eyes. “You can go back if you want. But I don’t want to miss this chance.”

Anakin nodded slowly. He supposed his path was clear enough. There was no way he was letting Eraan go alone. After all, it just wasn’t safe. And he had to admit, he did rather want to see the creature that had left such an enormous track. Eraan was right - how could they pass up such an opportunity?

“Fine,” he said, but Eraan was already bounding down the ravine, leaving Anakin to give chase.

* * *

Anakin hadn’t seen rain since they’d arrived on Helia, but as if to make up for the dryness of the past several weeks, as he and Eraan tracked the mysterious tarchya, dark clouds had gathered in the sky and torrents of rain had begun to pour down, accompanied by periodic lightning flashes and dramatic peels of thunder. Water streamed from his tunics in rivulets, and his hair was plastered against his head. Jedi tunics were fairly water repellent, but despite that his whole body was now enveloped in a cold, uncomfortable dampness.

Eraan charged ahead, apparently unhindered by the rain even though he was even wetter than Anakin. They had made their way out of the small ravine and into a slightly larger, though still rather narrow canyon filled with large trees with wide, twisting trunks. At the bottom of the canyon, the small river they had been following had transformed into something much more formidable, raging and frothy.

Anakin looked at Eraan, who was hoping from boulder to boulder on the steep terrain, looking down at the ground for clues. He didn’t seem at all discouraged, but Anakin had stopped trying to help him a while ago, and was more or less following at this point. They’d been going for what felt like hours, and there were no obvious signs that they were any closer to their quarry than they were before. He tried not to feel upset about it, but the fact was that they were in the middle of nowhere and miles from even their bikes, let alone the farm, he had completely ignored Obi-Wan’s instructions for the day and was unlikely to get any of his tasks done, and the rain showed no signs of stopping. To add insult to injury, there might not even be a tarchya to see to make up for any of their troubles.

Maybe this wasn’t such a great day after all.

“Hey,” he called to Eraan, unable to restrain himself even longer. “How long before we call it a day? We’ve been going for hours.”

“I think we’re close,” Eraan said. “I definitely sense something.”

“Yeah, you said that at the river bend an hour ago,” Anakin grumbled.

Eraan drew himself up, moving a lock of soaked dark hair out his face to reveal a contemptuous glare. “Some Jedi you are. Giving up already.”

Anakin glared back. “It’s not like we’re working. We’re just running around.” He didn’t add that if he were going to get in trouble, he’d much rather it be for his own bad idea than someone else’s.

“So go back,” Eraan said, shrugging.

Anakin responded by kicking a rock down the canyon, watching as it bounced down into the churning water. They both knew he wasn’t going anywhere. Another roar of thunder echoed through the canyon. Anakin sat down on a larger boulder, hugging his knees up to his chest. He had a feeling they were going to be out here for a long time. Maybe if he was apologetic enough, Obi-Wan would understand. He could only hope.

After a moment or two of staring down at the river, he looked over to see if Eraan had found any new signs. Strangely, the boy was standing at the base of a nearby tree, gazing up into the branches. That was strange. Anakin couldn’t imagine what he was looking at up there, certainly the tarchya were too large to climb trees? He got up and made his way over to Eraan.

“What is it?” He asked quietly, trying to follow the other boy’s gaze.

Eraan had his hand over his eyes, trying to shield them from the relentless rain. “I think there’s someone up there.”

“Someone? Really?” Anakin frowned, but reached out with the Force before waiting for a reply. He wasn’t as good with the Living Force as Eraan, but after a moment of concentrating he could definitely feel something like a person’s presence nearby. Very close.

When he opened his eyes, Eraan was shimmying up the tree trunk, never one to waste time. But he paused and looked down at Anakin, his face serious.

“Stand guard, okay?”

“Okay,” Anakin said automatically. He wanted to ask,  _ stand guard for what, _ but in the back of his mind he knew. 

Eraan disappeared up into the branches or the strange, curving tree, and Anakin turned to look down the canyon to face the two approaching men.


	24. Chapter 24

Obi-Wan wasn’t sure at what point he’d lost consciousness, or for how long, but when he regained it he found himself in total darkness. He was upright - he was sure of that - but his feet seemed to be touching empty air. As it turned out, his feet were the only parts of his body he could move freely. As for the rest of him...he seemed to be gripped by ropes tightly wound several times around him. No, they were vines. The same vines which had pulled him through that opening some time before.

He took a deep breath, attempting to get a sense of his current whereabouts. No doubt he was still in the cave network. The air wasn't fresh exactly, but it was no longer hot and sulphurous. It was damp and cool and earthy. Somewhere nearby he was sure he could sense Kenji and Feemor, perhaps in a similar predicament- or perhaps it was just wishful thinking. But before he could sense anything else, the same voice which had spoken to him in his mind spoke to him now.

_ Good; you’re awake. _

“Awake, but where?” Obi-Wan asked. His voice was scratchy and raw, his voice hoarse.

_ It will be easier if you speak in your mind, _ the voice said.  _ But to answer your question, You are nowhere special. This is my home. I sense you have many more questions. _

_ “And who are you, if I might ask?” _

_ A Force wielder like yourself. Though very much older, and I am no Jedi. _

It wasn't lying. The Force was clearly strong with this being, pulsing and humming around it. And not just a raw connection, but a finely tuned control, even as thought it had been trained.

_ “And you’re a plant?” _

There was a pause, as if it was thinking about the question. _ Are you an animal? _

_ “I suppose, in a manner of speaking.” _

_ Then I suppose in a manner of speaking I am a plant. _

Well at least the being didn’t seem like an immediate threat, and at least somewhat rational. Obi-Wan’s next question was a practical one. “ _ Do you mind loosening your vines a bit so I can move my arms?” _

Even before the thought-question had fully formed, Obi-Wan felt the rope like tendrils around his body pulling away. Leaving him still supported but much less tightly constrained. 

_ Forgive me. I forget how your kind likes to wiggle around so. It’s been so long since I’ve had visitors. _

_ “I never even knew you were down here,” _ Obi-Wan confessed.

_ Few did. Most of the Jedi never wanted to venture far into this network. The dark side is strong here, and one must be strong to face it. Feemor met me by accident several years ago. Or, maybe it was not so much of an accident. I know you Jedi don’t believe in such things. _

_ “It doesn't seem so bad here,” _ Obi-Wan thought.

_ No. On me the darkness doesn't have much effect. And I’ve learned to repel it.  _ There was a pause.  _ You’re worried about your friend Kenji? _

_ I’m concerned about him, yes. Did Feemor bring him here for you _

_ You and Feemor are the first Jedi I’ve spoken to in centuries. Did you know, it was one of your kind that woke me up. I think it might have been a thousand years ago, or more. She taught me how to hone my powers, to see and know things I never would have seen or known. But then she just stopped coming back. I never knew for sure, but I expect she died. Surely she would be dead by now, anyway. _

_ “But more Jedi found out about you.” _

_ Yes. But not for a long time. I am generally alone here. Still, I see every Jedi that steps foot into this Vergence. Even if they don’t perceive me in the darkness, I know them well. _

_ “Please..are Kenji and Feemor all right?”  _ Obi-Wan asked.

_ Yes. _

_ “Where are they?” _

_ You are kind...and curious. This is good.  _ Obi-Wan felt something, perhaps the tip of a vine, caress his cheek. _ You are young, but wise. You might teach me much. Perhaps I shall keep you here, with me.  _

_ “You can't... I have an important job to do.” _

_ Important job? You mean the child? Yes, he is strong. Perhaps too strong for you. _

_ “Maybe, but I am bound to him. I promised my master.” _

He flinched a bit as the vine stroked his hair now. And around his body, they were again growing tight and constricting, as if the thing were afraid he might slip away.

_ There’s something more, though, isn’t there? I thought Jedi eschewed attachments. _

_ “Yes, but...we are allowed to care for our charges.” _ The words sounded cold and false even as he thought them.

_ But such sadness in you, at the thought of being parted from him. Of losing him. _

_ “Yes,” _ Obi-Wan had to admit.

_ I’m not a Jedi, but I have never had a need for attachments. It would be interesting I think, to know. Yes, I think I shall keep you here with me, for a while. _

“ _ I'm afraid I’ll have to resist that _ ,” Obi-Wan said. He reached out with the Force, trying to get a better sense of where Kenji and Feemor were in the darkness.

_ You won’t be able to,  _ the thing’s voice in his head told him. It seemed stronger now, somehow louder. Obi-Wan tried to clear his mind, but it seemed the more he tried, the more he felt like an alien presence was crushing him, stifling his power and drowning it out. He’d never felt anything like this.

_ You’ve never heard of this power? It is a Jedi technique. Perhaps your Order has forbidden it now. Or perhaps they just have no need. I may be able to teach you some things as well, my friend. _

Obi-Wan tried to resist again, but a dark heaviness had begun to settle over his thoughts, drowning them out until the only thing he was aware of was a vague sense of confusion. And then, nothing.

* * *

The men had clearly already noticed Anakin and now they were marching toward him with long, purposeful strides. Each was dressed in dark, lightweight but weatherproof clothing and boots and each had a large blaster rifle strapped to his back. They must have been hunters. Worst case scenario they were poachers. Either way, Anakin knew he needed to stay on his guard. The wilderness tended to attract lawless types. It had been true on Tatooine, and was surely true here. He stood his ground as they approached, drawing himself up a bit and making eye contact with the larger of the two men.

“Some weather,” the taller one said, stopping a few feet away from Anakin and looking him up and down. He had a scratchy voice and a scratchy looking face and looked to be about middle age. “You sure aren’t dressed for it.”

Anakin gave him what he hoped was a shy smile. “Yeah, I got caught off guard all right.”

“You out here alone?”

“Yeah,” Anakin lied, trying to sound casual. “Just exploring. The rain doesn’t bother me.”

The smaller of the men, cleaner and younger looking, narrowed his eyes as he took him in. “Outdoorsy type, huh?”

“Yeah. I’m a ranch hand not too far away.”

“Dangerous out here,” the smaller men said, smirking. “Some dangerous critters. Don’t look like you got any weapons. You sure you’re okay?”

“Sure,” Anakin shrugged. “I can take care of myself.” At least they didn’t seem to recognize the lightsaber hilt hanging from his belt. 

The men looked uninterested at his assertion, which was just fine with him. He didn’t exactly want to be questioned. Anakin leaned back against the tree trunk, not daring to look up into the branches where Eraan was no doubt peering down at them and listening.

“Hunting?” Anakin asked. Maybe they were after that tarchya, the same as them.

“Not exactly,” the bigger man said, scanning the land behind Anakin. “We’re looking for a couple little girls- you seen any running around?”

“Girls?” Anakin frowned. 

“Yeah, a couple little Cheen’jo girls. Red hair. They went missing from their village yesterday, we were passing through on a hunting trip and thought we’d help them out.”

Anakin pretended to look around with interest, again resisting the urge to look up. That had to be what Eraan had sensed. “I’m not completely sure, but I think I did see something that looked like it might have been a kid running around up near those bushes,” he said, pointing vaguely down the canyon. “I thought it was a deer.”

The shorter man looked to the larger one. “Let’s have  _ him _ go look.”

The larger man smiled at Anakin. Though his teeth were near perfect, there was something unwholesome about the grin. “That’s a great idea. She’s scared of us, you see. Thinks we’re gonna sell her.”

The other man gave a short, barking laugh.

Anakin forced himself to smile back. “Yeah, I can help. I’m good with kids.” Without waiting for a reply, he set off at a light jog, leading the two men away from Eraan’s tree. The rain had begun to taper off and he looked up at the sky to see some breaks forming in the clouds. He tried not to think too hard about his plans or what he was supposed to do.  _ Stay in the moment, _ he told himself. Getting the men away from Eraan and possibly one or both seemed like a good start. But there was no way that he was going to let these guys take a child with them. Every instinct he had was setting off alarms about them and their intentions.

He came to stop before a dense patch of large, tree-like shrubs which had long hanging branches that brushed the ground. He leaned toward the men and spoke to them in a hushed voice. “Let me go in alone and see if anyone’s in here. You guys move on.”

They nodded and Anakin parted the branches like curtains and stepped through them into what felt like a dark and quiet chamber. The wide, rounded tops of these trees formed a thick canopy that had kept the ground below dry. A good hiding place for a storm.

What he thought he’d do was hide out here for a few moments til the hunters moved on, then run back to find Eraan. He hadn’t actually expected to find anyone lurking in here, but there was a sharp, incessant tug from the Force and he sensed her almost immediately, then saw her soon after.

The girl was little, maybe about seven, with bright red hair as the hunter had told him. She was dressed in a long tunic that was probably blue but had been streaked over several times with mud and grime. Upon seeing Anakin she got halfway up from her seated position and began scooting backward, keeping her wide eyes trained on him, but making no noise. Just to be safe, Anakin raised a finger to his lips, then crouched down, trying to appear friendly. The girl stopped moving and stayed still as Anakin moved over to where she sat.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “I won’t give you to them. I promise.”

He could feel the fear rolling off her, and wasn’t sure she was entirely convinced by his promise, but likely knew she was small and helpless and had nowhere else to go now. He wished he had something to give her, some food or something, he hadn’t even bothered to bring any stale field rations. Obi-Wan was right, he should be more prepared. Sighing, he reached into his belt pouches for something that might be interesting to a little girl and then his fingers closed around it. He couldn’t be sure she’d find it interesting, but it was the best he had.

“Here,” he said, holding up the red stone. “Take it. It’s good luck.”

The child’s eyes widened again as she accepted the stone. “You have to be very brave,” she whispered, looking down at it with a kind of reverence.

Anakin frowned, wondering if she knew anything about the Vergence, the strange cave where he’d gotten the stone. As far as he knew, only Jedi went there. But he couldn’t ask. As soon as the girl’s palm closed around the stone, an ear-piercing shriek in the distance made them both start and look up.

“It’s the tarchya!” She gasped, springing up. “Run, we have to -”

“Quiet!” Anakin hissed. He grabbed the back of her tunic, but there was nowhere for her to go anyway. The large, scratchy-faced hunter was peering through the vines at them, anxious looking but smiling.

“Just in time, friend! Well done. We’d better get a move on. She sounds hungry.”

  
  
  



	25. Caverns

“The tarchya? Did you see it?” Anakin asked, but the man had turned away to confer anxiously with his waiting companion.

There was that shriek again.

“Come on.”

“Stay close to me,” Anakin whispered to the girl, pulling her back slightly and taking a firm hold of her hand. She gave him a solemn nod as she slipped the stone into her tunic pocket. He led her out of the bushes to where the two men stood waiting.

“By the sound of it, it's already found something.”

Eraan, Anakin thought. Whatever that thing was, Anakin could only hope Eraan’s powers could hold it off. It was no bantha, he was sure of that.

“My sister!” The girl cried.

“I hope she can hide better than you, lovey. Shoulda stuck together better. We’re outta time,” the smaller man said.

“Right kid, thanks for your help.” The other man reached for the girl, but Anakin moved quickly in front of her.

“I’m not giving her to you.” The men stared at him, uncomprehending. Anakin contemplated trying to mind trick them, but had only done it once before with success, and never two at once. It would have to be a more direct approach, as nervous as it made him. But he had no other choice. He unclipped the lightsaber from his belt and ignited the blade.

The smaller man began to stutter at once. “I told you there were Jedi around here. Didn’t I?”

“You mean that farm - they aren’t real Jedi.”

“Well, it’s a real lightsaber,” his companion argued.

There was another shriek from behind, this time much louder, and Anakin dared to give a brief look in the direction of the sound before turning back to the men. “Believe me, they’re real enough Jedi.”

Eraan was sprinting toward them, impressively fast Anakin thought, though he was carrying another child in his arms. This one was younger than the girl Anakin had found, probably no older than five, but with the same red hair. And it was good he could run so fast, because the thing at his heels might have swallowed him in one bite.

Both men swore and began retreating backwards, but Anakin stood his ground. He heard the girl beside him gasped in terror, but held tight onto his wrist with both of her small hands, no doubt strengthened at least a little by the weapon he wielded.

Anakin thought he had never seen something so terrible. In holos maybe, but not in real life, and not so close up. It was pure black from its head to its whip-like tail, with six clawed, short legs sprouting from a tube-like body. The head was long, ending in a pointed beak and a gaping mouth, out of which a pair of giant pincers jutted menacingly. Whether it had eyes and they were just as black as the rest of it, or if there were none at all in its head, Anakin couldn’t tell.

As Eraan sprinted toward them, Anakin realized suddenly he had never seen his friend look so afraid. Eraan didn’t get afraid. It made his own stomach flip, though he didn’t fear the tarchya exactly.

“Let’s take it down,” he said, raising his ‘saber. But Eraan frantically shook his head.

“No, we can’t kill it. Please. You have to help me focus. I can’t do it alone,” he said, wheeling around to face the creature. It was almost on them now. He released the girl from his arms, setting her down as gently as could be expected in the heat of the moment. “Get behind us.”

Anakin knew what Eraan meant, and he wasn’t sure he agreed with the strategy, but there was no time to argue. They had to be a team. The thing reared up onto his back four legs, letting out an ear splitting shriek.

Eraan had started to stare at the creature intently, his hand stretched out in front of him. Anakin took a deep breath in and did the same, focusing his mind and everything he had toward the tarchya. Instantly he was hit by the aggression that poured out of it, pouring over him like a wave. He reached deep into the Force, finding the tranquility and stillness that could always be found.

_There is no emotion there is peace_

He could sense Eraan doing the same thing, perhaps reflecting on the same mantra, and that strengthened his own resolve. Yes. They could do this together.

Gently and slowly, the aggression of the creature seemed to be dissolving away in the endless peace of Force - the energy that Anakin and Eraan were directing toward it. Anakin did not let his guard down this time, did not revel in the success, but kept his focus.

Until…

There was a scream from behind and Anakin cursed himself for not being more vigilant. He spun around to see both girls being dragged away by their captors who had obviously seen fit to take advantage of the Jedi’s distraction. But they were still fearful and desperate, Anakin could tell, which made them clumsy and uncoordinated, and the older girl broke free of the larger man’s grasp alost as soon as Anakin turned around

The smaller man was farther along but with a wave of Anakin’s hand he lost his balance and toppled over, face first onto the ground and the younger girl was released from his grasp. She ran to her sister, panting. Both men swore at them, but stayed where they were, apparently unwilling to come closer. But neither did they want to leave their quarry.

Eraan looked at Anakin, his eyes wide, the tarchya swaying slightly behind him as if coming out of a trance. “We should run..”

Anakin understood. The thing was not going to stay calm for long. Without waiting another second, both boys took hold of the girls’ hands and started running, past the tarchya and back down the canyon. To where exactly, he didn’t know. From behind, he heard the sound of blaster rifles firing, and the shouting of the men, and the shrieking of the creature. They ran and ran, and the noise behind them faded, but Anakin didn’t want to stop. They couldn’t take that chance. It wasn’t until the older girl stopped short and started tugging on his hand that he was forced to stop running.

She was pointing desperately toward the side of the canyon. It took a moment for Anakin to realize what she was gesturing to. A small opening in the rock. “We should go in there,” she breathed. “It’s safe.”

“To hide?” Anakin asked, looking toward Eraan, who had also stopped. Beside him the girl’s little sister peered up at Anakin with wide eyes.

She shook her head emphatically. “No. Come look.” She started running toward the opening and Anakin followed, curious. As he approached, he noticed a marking above the entrance, something obviously drawn there - two circles joined with a line. The girl jumped up, attempting to point to it.

“It means we can go through. The tarchya can’t get through here.”

Anakin looked over at Eraan, questioning. The other boy nodded. “She’s right. Some of the caves have these symbols. It means they can be traveled through safely by people.”

“Have you been in here?” Anakin asked.

Eraan shook his head. “I’ve never been in any of them. I don’t like caves.”

All of them turned their heads as the shriek echoed through the canyon again.

“I’d rather be where that thing isn’t, personally.” He gave his friend a hard look. “ _That’s_ what you wanted to track down? It was like something that crawled up out of the Sith hells.”

Eraan shrugged, at least having the grace to look somewhat regretful. “I didn’t know it would be so…” he trailed off, evidently at a loss to describe the terror of the thing.

The little girl tugged on his hand. “We have to. Please...I’m scared.”

“Let’s go, then,” Anakin said, not waiting for Eraan’s agreement. They didn’t have time. In Anakin’s opinion, his friend had forfeited the right to make any more decisions that day about what they were doing.

He entered the darkness first, the girls trailing directly behind him. Eraan brought up the rear. The cave was narrow, but tall enough that they all could stand without crouching down. Anakin took the small lamp from his utility belt and turned it on. The light wasn’t intense, but in the small space it worked well enough, at least lighting the way directly in front of them.

They walked along silently in the dark silence of the cave before the smaller girl said something in her native language.

“Speak in Basic,” her sister admonished her.

“No!”

The girl sighed. “She asked if the tarchya ate Doln and Briggs.”

They must have been the names of the men, Anakin supposed. “I don’t know. They weren’t really friends of yours, were they?”

“No. They took us,” the girl said. “They were going to sell us. But we got away.” She sounded very proud of the fact. Well, Anakin would too, if he was her.

“Sell you?” Anakin’s stomach clenched. This was a Republic system. He’d always took a small bit of comfort that although slavery still existed in many parts of the Galaxy, it wasn’t tolerated under Republic law. Still, he’d studied enough to know that it would be naive to think that could prevent it entirely. There’d always be slavery, laws or not. Of course the Jedi did their best, but there just weren’t enough Jedi, and there was too much corruption in the Galaxy. 

But they’d have to get the details of that later. He could hear Obi-Wan’s voice in his mind telling him to focus on the task at hand. Despite what the marking on the cave said, Anakin knew you could never be too careful in a cave, and who knew what they would have to face before the day was over. Who knew where the cave would even lead them? 

“You’re both very brave. How long were you on your own?” Anakin asked. “And what are your names, anyway?”

“I’m Keelin and that’s Ysis,” the older girl said. “And we got away this morning.”

“Because of the tarchya,” Ysis said breathlessly, apparently ready to speak in Basic now. “The men heard it and got scared. We ran into a cave but got separated. Are you magic?”

“They’re Jedi,” Keelin told her. “There used to be Jedi who lived here, but they left a long time ago. Jedi are dangerous, so do what they say.”

Anakin was about to answer, but Ysis spoke up at once. “No, they’re not! He’s very nice.” Anakin assumed she meant Eraan, who laughed from behind them.

“Thanks.”

“Jedi help people,” Anakin said simply. He wasn’t going to tell her that Jedi weren’t dangerous. If you were on the wrong side, anyway.

Judging by her silence, it seemed Keelin couldn’t exactly argue with that.

“We’ll get you back to your people,” Anakin promised. “I promise.”

Keelin grabbed onto his hand and squeezed it tightly.

* * *

The tunnel stretched on for a long time, though in the darkness and silence it was hard to tell how long they’d been traveling. The first part had been straight and flat, though now it had started to curve in places and they had started to go downhill a bit. Anakin wondered just how long they were going to be in here. Perhaps they should have taken their chances and gone back to the speeder bikes. It made him sad to think about them, sitting abandoned now in the forest after he’d worked so hard on them.

“Look, it’s a dead end,” he heard Eraan’s voice say suddenly. Anakin stopped short and raised his light, shining it around. The cave ceiling was much higher now, but it did indeed look like their path ended at a wall that was about fifteen feet wide that stretched all the way up.

“Maybe there’s an opening we can crawl through,” he said, starting to look around.

Eraan started searching as well, as did the children, all of them running their hands along the flat surface. It was strangely flat, Anakin thought, as if it had been smoothed down.

“Look!” Keelin said, moving closer to him. She was holding out her hand. There was something small glowing faintly red, as if a tiny fire burned inside it .

“Is that the stone I gave you?” He asked.

“Yes,” she breathed. “It’s magic.”

“Maybe it’s trying to tell us something,” Anakin said. He had an idea. “Eraan, put your hand on the wall.”

After handing his lamp to Keelin, Eraan did so and Anakin did the same, pressing his palm against the cool surface.

“Are you doing magic?” Ysis asked.

“Shh,” Keelin said. “They’re working.”

I hope this works, Anakin thought before clearing his mind. He controlled his breathing, focusing on the Force alone, and could feel Eraan doing to the same beside him. The wall didn’t budge. Maybe this wasn’t the same after all.

“I want to do magic too,” Ysis said, and Anakin heard her run forward and place her hand against the wall.

“Ysis!” Keelin said. “Stop it.”

“No harm in trying,” Eraan said.

“Keelin, you help do magic too,” Ysis said. After a second or two, Anakin heard the other girl step forward. He re-committed to his concentration, not exactly willing the wall to move, but allowing it to.

“It’s moving!” Ysis cried, and she was right. The wall - part of it - was shifting slowly downwards into the ground.

“Keep your hand on it and be quiet,” Anakin said, hoping desperately that the children’s excitement didn’t mess this up. He kept his hand against the rock, crouching down until it had slipped away completely and there was no more rock to touch, and there was a dark, open space before them. Out of this new place came the sound of rushing water.

“We did magic!” Ysis shouted, overwhelmed by the experience. 

“Very good, but calm down,” Anakin said, shining his light through the opening. He couldn’t make out much with his eyes, but it felt to him that this space was much bigger- possibly a chasm, judging by the sound of the water. He went through the new opening, which he had to bend down slightly to pass through, then stood. This new chamber was a large one, and as his eyes adjusted Anakin could tell that they wouldn’t be walking in pitch blackness, because out of the cavern walls grew all sorts of plants and fungus that glowed in several different colors with the light of bioluminescence. It wasn’t bright, but it would do. The source of the water sound was clear enough. Toward the back of the cavern a huge waterfall poured down into the chasm below, so tall that Anakin couldn’t tell exactly where it was coming from.

Eraan came to stand beside him. “Amazing,” he said, head turning all around.

“I thought you didn’t like caves,” Anakin said.

“I didn’t know there were ones like this,” Eraan answered, almost indignant.

Keelin had started to walk in front of Anakin, but he quickly grabbed the back of her tunic. “Be careful, there’s a drop-off, see?”

The wonder of the cave was wearing off for him. He looked around. They’d have to find a real way out of it, and most of this chamber was really just a huge pit. He walked to the edge where the cave floor abruptly ended and peered over the side into the chasm. As expected, there was only darkness. The only places they’d be able to walk were around the sides, and those pathways looked to be quite narrow.

And as for the way forward...he didn’t know for sure, but it seemed natural that there should be another opening behind the waterfall. It was his best guess.

“Okay, everyone be really careful,” Anakin said, looking around at all of them. He grabbed hold of Keelin’s hand and started making his way around the side of the cavern, Eraan and Ysis following close behind. The ground beneath them was rocky and uneven, but things stayed simple until they found themselves facing down another gap in their pathway. It was about four four feet across and Anakin and Eraan would be able to jump across it easily, but the girls would have to be helped.

He jumped across, landing lightly on his feet, then turned to face Eraan and the girls. “Eraan, can you pass them across? Start with the little one.”

“Yeah,” Eraan agreed.

Anakin locked eyes with Ysis. “Just keep looking at me, okay?” The girls so far at least had trekked along bravely, and he was grateful for that. But you never knew when the dangerous reality of the situation might occur to them, and the last thing they needed was a panicking child squirming over a bottomless chasm.

Anakin reached his arms out and took the girl, who grinned at him as he set her down.

“That was fun!”

Anakin was already focused on the next task, getting Keelin across. She was bigger, so moving her would take more concentration. 

“Keep looking at me, all right?” He asked her.

“I’m not scared!” The girl said unconvincingly. She frowned and peered down into the darkness below.

“There’s nothing to be scared of,” Eraan said, looking kindly down at her. “Trust us.”

Keelin nodded and allowed herself to be picked up, and in a second she was on the other side, safe. But the other girl...Anakin turned sharply, no long sensing her at his side, and cursed himself for being distracted. She had started to wander toward the waterfall.

“Hey, careful!” Anakin called, walking toward her. She looked back at him and giggled, but kept moving closer to the water, where the rock was wet and slippery from the neverending spray. He saw it happen a split second before she tripped in one of the dents in the rock and fell sideways over the ledge. Keelin cried out and Anakin flung his arm out in front of him, using the Force between them to keep her suspended. But it was hard. She screamed and flailed in the unnatural position, gazing with horror down into the pit below.

But then, suddenly, the little girl went limp, and he could feel Eraan behind him reaching out and helping to hold her up, wrapping the Force around her. Together they pushed her back up onto the ledge and against the cave wall, where she moved slowly into a seated position. Anakin walked over to her quickly, almost tripping himself, and crouched down beside her. From behind he could hear the sounds of Keelin’s quiet sobbing and Eraan saying something softly to her.

“Are you all right?”

Ysis looked at him with wide eyes and nodded. “That was so scary.” She rose up and grabbed his hand once more. “You really are magic. Can you float me again sometime?”

Anakin didn’t answer. He was staring at the man who had just emerged from behind the waterfall.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thanks so much for reading! I will try and have the next part up as soon as possible!


	26. Reunion

Anakin squinted at the figure, quickly coming to the conclusion that it was a Jedi. The question was, was it a living Jedi or a vision? But when the man drew a bit closer there was no mistaking him.

“Master Feemor?”

“Yes,” Feemor said. “I sensed you from the other side.” He gestured toward the waterfall, then turned back toward them, gazing over the children thoughtfully. “I’m interested in hearing how you turned up here, but it’ll have to wait. Come with me.”

“I almost fell down into that hole,” Ysis informed him, raising her voice over the sound of the roaring water they were now passing behind.

Feemor looked down at her with a smile, then turned it to Anakin and Eraan behind him. “Almost. I saw.”

“They floated me back up,” she told him. “Who are you? Are you magic too? Do you live here?”

“Ysis,” Keelin laughed.

“We must try to be quiet now,” Feemor said gently.

“Where is Master Obi-Wan?” Asked Anakin, who felt the order of silence didn’t apply to him.

“You’ll see him soon,” Feemor said as they passed through the opening into another corridor. This one was straight and regular, as if it had been deliberately carved out by people. “For now you must be patient.”

Anakin bristled at this, annoyed the fact that an adult had suddenly inserted himself into their adventure, which had been well under control, to give them lessons on patience. He got more than enough of those at the Temple.

It was getting darker again as they walked and soon they couldn’t see anything. Anakin pulled his lamp out, but felt Feemor’s hand on his shoulder.

“Put it away, we will have to make do in the dark. We must respect the creatures that live here and they will respect us.”

Anakin put his lamp away. It would be all right. He’d done enough training exercises to know how to get around well enough without being able to see. There were other ways to sense. It was his sense of smell that told him they had come upon a different place. Something deep and earthy and vegetal, like a forest.

“What do you sense, boys?” Feemor asked them in a low voice.

Eraan answered at once. “There’s lots of plants growing in here. No - just one. It’s…” He paused, as if trying to get the measure of it. “It’s enormous.”

“I can’t see it!” Ysis protested. Her sister shushed her.

“That’s correct,” Feemor said. He sounded pleased with Eraan’s assessment. “But no ordinary plant. This being is very old.”

“Being?” Anakin asked. “Is it sentient?”

“I think so,” Eraan answered. “Itt’s strong with the Force.”

Anakin reached out, concentrating, until he could feel what Eraan did. Yes, there was an intelligence here. An  _ awareness _ . And he felt that it was looking at him...even into him, probing. He didn't like it much. 

As he focused into the Force he felt something else, too. Obi-Wan was here for sure, not far away. But there was something wrong. His master’s presence in the Force was dulled and weak, as if he’d been knocked out. 

“What happened to Obi-Wan?”

“You must have patience,” Feemor said. Anakin didn’t want to hear any more about patience.

He shook his head, more to himself than to Feemor. “I have to go to him.”

Without waiting for a reply he set off into the darkness, half expecting Feemor to call him back, but the man said nothing. Eraan didn’t follow either, but neither did he try and stop him. Surrounded by the blackness on all sides, he made his way through the cave. The feeling of the plant-being’s presence grew stronger, as did its earthy smell, the Force signature of Obi-Wan tangled up in it. Anakin reached out, feeling for his master. It seemed to him that Obi-Wan was somewhere above the ground.

What was it doing with him, Anakin wondered. He’d heard of Force sensitive creatures that could drain a Jedi’s energy and strength like a spider sucking blood from its prey- could this plant be doing this to his master? But why wouldn't Feemor stop it? Was this some kind of test?

HIs blood ran cold as it dawned on him that the thing might not be Feemor at all, but some kind of phantom, like the one who he’d talked to impersonating Qui-Gon. Well, he was not going to go back and check now. He had fatih Eraan could handle himself and protect the girls.

All Anakin knew was that he needed to get to Obi-Wan quickly, and he’d have to be careful. After the tarchya, though, he wasn’t feeling particularly scared of a giant plant and it didn’t feel particularly aggressive or hostile to him. Reaching out his hands, he made contact with something hard,with hairlike fibers growing out of it. The stalk? Grabbing a hold of it, he began to pull himself up and soon found some footholds which he supposed were branches or vines growing out on all sides, which made his climb fast and relatively easy. He continued looking toward the place that it felt like Obi-Wan was, and used the Force to reach out toward his master, wondering if he would respond. But there was no mental or verbal answer through their link.

He began to climb up from one branch to another, keeping his mind focused on Obi-Wan’s presence. He could sense he was getting close. But when a pair of glowing red eyes suddenly appeared out of the darkness before him, he reacted too quickly. He pulled the lightsaber from his belt and ignited it without thinking, raising the blade in front of his face.

The thing staring back at him was like something out of a nightmare, with a round, gaping mouth of needle sharp teeth, the rest of its face covered by spiky, twitching hairs. But before he could react, Anakin felt something like a rope grab him around the waist and quickly lift him up before sending him sailing through the air. Fortunately, his training and instincts kicked in and he was able to land on the floor of the cave with a roll. He stood up, aching and frustrated and without his lightsaber, but otherwise undamaged. He stared ahead into the darkness. Now what?

“Who’s there?” A voice had spoken, and it took Anakin a moment to recognize it.

“Kenji? Is that you?”

“Yes.” Kenji’s voice was getting closer. “Anakin? What are you doing here?”

“It’s a long story. I was trying to get to my master. He’s unconscious.”

“Yes. I’m not sure what’s going on. I was trying to get to him too. It...it told me I was supposed to,” Kenji said, sounding unsure. “It said I had to do it myself. I’ve been trying for a while.”

“But he’s  _ my _ master,” Anakin said. He had no idea what Kenji was talking about, what ‘it’ was, but he wasn’t going to stay idle while Obi-Wan needed his help.

_ Boy, stay where you are. _

The voice had pierced through his mind. Anakin started. “I think it just talked to me.”

“What did it say?”

_ This is his test. Let him do it. _

“I guess I can’t help you,” Anakin sighed. He realized this was probably the longest he’d spoken to the former padawan Kenji, and most of what he'd known about him and his afflictions had come second hand. Maybe this was all some kind of test to prove he could be a padawan again and resume his training. If that were the case, Anakin would have to let it go. A Jedi could never interfere with another’s trial, as much as they might want to help. “I think you can do it though,” he said. “Just be careful, okay? And don’t use your lightsaber.” Ugh, his lightsaber. Finding it again was going to be a real pain.

“I didn’t even bring it,” Kenji said, and Anakin heard his footsteps move away.

Anakin sat by himself in the dark, wishing desperately he could see what was happening. He could only hear a little. There was an occasional rustling of branches or a yelp or grunt from Kenji that made him feel nervous, and he could make out the occasional pair of red eyes blinking in the darkness.

_ When you find yourself stuck somewhere, you can never go wrong by meditating, _ Obi-Wan had told him before. Anakin decided this was as good a plan as any. He settled down on the cold floor of the cavern and surrendered himself to the Force, focusing on inner stillness.

After only a few breaths, something very interesting happened. Though he was sure his eyes were closed, he found he could see his surroundings quite clearly. The enormous plant growing in the center of the cave, seemingly thousands of vine-like tendrils extending out of it in all directions, some skinny, some thick and woody like branches of an ancient tree. Crawling all over it like guardians were those red-eyed creatures. And there was Obi-Wan, wrapped up tightly in vines at the very top, only his face exposed. 

Anakin spied Kenji crawling carefully upwards toward him. One of the creatures was crawling downward toward him, its hideous face almost touching his. With a slow movement of his hand, Kenji seemed to move it away and continued to move up the plant. A vine swung down from above as if to hit him and knock him down, but Kenji caught it with both hands and began to climb up it while it swung fiercely from side to side. 

At last Kenji reached Obi-Wan and Anakin felt his heart pound in his chest. The vision faded and then darkness again. He sighed. He’d gotten too worked up and ruined it. He calmed himself again and returned to his breathing and to the Force, but the vision did not return.

Some time passed, but he couldn’t tell how much. Minutes or hours. Soft voices brought him out of his meditation. One was was Kenji’s and the other-

“Master!” He said, jumping up and running forward into the darkness toward the sound of Obi-Wan’s voice.

“Oof!” He’d meant to stop but ended up running straight into him.

“Anakin?” Obi-Wan sounded both shocked and exhausted - almost groggy. “What are you doing here?”

Anakin didn’t even know where to begin so he didn’t even try. He wrapped his arms around his master. “Are you okay?”

To his amazement, Obi-Wan enveloped him in his own arms and squeezed him tightly. Anakin thought that no one had ever hugged him so hard in his life.

“I’m all right,” Obi-Wan said at last, not letting him go yet. “I’ve had a very strange day.”

“I bet mine was even stranger!” Anakin told him. Then he jumped as he felt something pressing against the back of his hand. It was cold and hard, like metal. He recognized it in an instant. It was his lightsaber.

He grabbed the hilt and smiled, thankful as he let Obi-Wan hold him close.

_ You’re welcome _ , said the voice in his mind.

* * *

Everyone was asleep in the speeder except Anakin and Feemor, who was driving. Above them, the stars sparkled in the dark sky as they raced past forests and fields back to the farm. Getting them all in the vehicle had been a bit of a challenge, and it was a tight squeeze, but at least the girls were small. Anakin sat in the back with Eraan and the children while Obi-Wan dozed in the front between him and Kenji. Must to Anakin’s surprise and dismay, they had fallen asleep almost immediately. He had hoped he might tell Obi-Wan everything on the way back.

Anakin was exhausted on one hand, but on the other too excited still to let himself drift off. He couldn’t wait to tell his master what he and Eraan had seen and done, and ask what they would do about the girls. Surely they would return them to their village tomorrow, but they would surely also have to investigate a potential trafficking operation, and find out who took them in the first place.

At last they reached the farm. Anakin punched Eraan lightly on the shoulder to wake him. The other boy opened his eyes and gave him a weary smile.

“Anakin,” Feemor said in a low voice as they exited the speeder. He put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and guided him a few steps away. “Get yourself and your master to your rooms. He may be a little disoriented, but he should be all right after a long rest.”

Anakin nodded, curious about what Feemor meant, and trying to remember if he’d ever even seen Obi-Wan disoriented before. He studied his master closely as he got out of the speeder, wondering if he was too tired to really listen to Anakin’s story about the day’s adventures, or tell his own. Anakin was beyond tired, but still buzzing from excitement. He doubted he’d even be able to get to sleep.

“Anakin, who exactly are those children?” Obi-Wan asked as they headed up the stairs to their room.

Anakin took a deep breath and launched into the account of meeting and rescuing them. Obi-Wan looked startled, but cut him off after a moment or two. “You’ll have to explain later. That sounds like quite the series of events, and I don’t know if I can take it in at the moment.”

They entered their quarters and Anakin followed his master as he went to his bedroom. Obi-Wan sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed, staring straight ahead.

“Do you need help, Master?” Anakin asked him. Without waiting for a response, he moved over to him and knelt down to take off his boots. Obi-Wan didn’t resist, and when Anakin had gotten the boots off he took off his belt and handed it to him. 

“Thank you, Padawan,” Obi-Wan said softly. “Come here.” He patted the edge of the bed next to him.

Anakin moved to sit next to Obi-Wan and couldn't hold back anymore.

“We fought a monster,” he told him. “Eraan and I. Well, we didn’t really fight it, I guess, but we fended it off.

“A tarchya?” Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin raised his head and looked at him in amazement. “How’d you know?”

“It’s really the only thing on this world that passes for a monster. I had a run in with one myself when I was about your age.”

“You did? What happened?” 

Obi-Wan gave him a sleepy smile. “Later. It’s a long story.”

Anakin nodded.

“You should go to bed now. You’ve had quite a day.”

Anakin started to get up, but Obi-Wan’s hand on his shoulder kept him down. “Anakin, just out of curiosity, did you do any of the things I asked you to do today?”

“Well,” Anakin said after thinking a moment. “We did get the bantha back in the pen.”

“I see. And then you ran off to fight monsters and rescue children.”

Anakin smiled a little. Obi-Wan didn’t seem mad, at least. “Not exactly like that, but…”

He didn’t bother to try to come up with excuses, because Obi-Wan had pulled him into a tight hug. Maybe Feemor was spot on about him being disoriented. But it didn’t matter. Anakin squeezed back as hard as he could.

  
  



	27. Doubts

Anakin hurried into Obi-Wan’s bedroom, hardly believing that his master was still asleep. It was already midafternoon, and he couldn’t remember when either of them had ever slept so long. Why hadn’t anyone come to get them up?

“Master! Get up,” he urged, shaking Obi-Wan gently.

Obi-Wan sprung into action quickly, as he often did when roused, sitting all the way up and brushing tousled hair out of his face. He took a quick look out the window before aiming a disapproving frown at Anakin. “What time is it? Why did you let me sleep so long?”

Anakin grabbed the tunics Obi-Wan had hung over his chair the night before and tossed them over. “Don’t blame me, I just got up too. Get dressed, Master!” He paused for a moment. “Well, you might want to take a shower first.” He grinned and started heading out of the room.

“Anakin, where are you going?” Obi-Wan called after him.

“I’ll meet you later. I’m going to find Eraan.”

Without waiting for a reply, he made his way down the stairs and outside, but not before grabbing a piece of fruit and small cake from a basket in the kitchen he supposed had been left for them by Cora . It was a very warm afternoon with no hint of the clouds or rain that had drenched the area the day before. He jogged in the direction of the barn, hoping to either meet Eraan or someone who could tell him where he’d gone. But after a good few minutes, he still hadn’t run into anyone.

“I suppose you’re looking for Eraan?”

Anakin turned to see Kenji approaching from the path to his right.

“Yeah, have you seen him?” Anakin asked breathlessly, wiping some sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. Now that he had stopped he realized how warm he was.

“He and Feemor went to Sorai Village with the girls to find their parents.”

Anakin’s stomach twisted. Had no one thought to involve him? Wasn’t he as responsible as Eraan for helping to rescue the children? It wasn’t fair.

“You’re angry,”Kenji observed. “But you shouldn’t be. I think Feemor wanted some time alone with Eraan.”

“Why should he want time alone?” Anakin asked. What a strange thing to say. Both boys barely knew Feemor, and Eraan no doubt had even less connection than Anakin did.

Kenji smiled mysteriously and Anakin understood at once what was happening.

Why hadn’t he thought of that? Of course someone had to see that Eraan would make a good padawan, and why not Feemor?

“Feemor’s making him his apprentice?” He asked eagerly.

“I don’t know anything yet,” Kenji said. “Just that Feemor seems impressed with him, and surprised that he was sent here. But I wouldn’t get too excited. People usually don’t get sent into the Service Corps without good reason.”

Anakin felt his chest constrict slightly. “The Council can be wrong sometimes,” he murmured. He wondered how many kids like Eraan had been sent away from the Temple, who might have made great Jedi if they’d just been given another chance. Who were just maybe a little different. 

Kenji looked like he wanted to say something, but he looked up behind Anakin. Anakin turned, sensing his master’s presence.

“Kenji, how are you feeling?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Better,” the young man sighed. “I just talked to Declan. I’m to go back to the Temple later this week.”

“Are you going to start your training again?” Anakin asked. “Did that thing in the cave make you better? You seem a lot stronger now.” He’d been so focused on Eraan that it only just dawned on him how much healthier Kenji seemed.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan said softly, putting his hand on the boy’s back. “Don’t pry.”

“I was just asking,” Anakin said, indignant. But Kenji’s quietly pained expression made him wonder if he’d said something wrong. Kenji quickly composed himself, a wry smile returning to his face.

“Doubt anyone would be willing to take me on as an apprentice right away. But maybe after some time. We’ll see. Master Yoda is eager to speak with me.”

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. “You won’t be alone at the Temple.”

“Oh, I’m sure the healers will be eager to get their hands on me,” Kenji said.

“Well, good morning!” 

A speeder was pulling up to their small group, driven by Declan. He aimed a knowing smile at Anakin. “Heard you had quite a day yesterday. And you left my speeder bikes out near Kalaka.”

The speeder bikes. With all that had happened, Anakin hadn’t thought much about them. “Oh...that’s right.” He looked at Obi-Wan. “We can go get them, can’t we, Master?”

“You read my mind. If you’re up for another ride, hop in and I’ll take you both out there.”

Obi-Wan agreed, and soon they were speeding through the countryside again. Anakin took the opportunity to recount the events of the past day to his master, sparing no detail and especially talking up Eraan’s part in the whole thing. Obi-Wan didn’t say much, but he looked pleased enough, Anakin thought, only asking for clarification on details now and again.

After they found the abandoned speeders and Declan had headed back to the farm, Anakin was no longer able to hold back what Kenji had told him.

“Kenji said Feemor might take Eraan as his apprentice.” He tried to make the statement sound neutral as possible.

Obi-Wan’s eyebrows raised slightly. “Did he really say that, or is that what you wanted to hear?”

Anakin hopped onto his bike and powered it up. “I said ‘might,’” he clarified. “But Kenji said Feemor took Eraan with him today to take those girls back, don’t you think that’s a good sign? It’s like a mission.”

“I’d just be careful getting your hopes up,” Obi-Wan said, revving up his own bike.

In his heart, Anakin knew Obi-Wan was right. If he got too attached to the idea of Eraan becoming a padawan, it would hurt all the more than if he’d just let things continue as they were. But the idea of it was exhilarating. The thought of being right was exhilarating, too. But all there was left to do at the moment was wait and see.

“Do you think I did a good job?” Anakin asked suddenly. “I mean, yesterday?” 

“You’ve come a long way,” Obi-Wan answered after a moment. “And I don’t think you need me to tell you that.”

But it was nice to hear. Was it so hard for him to just say it?

“I think you are ready for some more challenging assignments,” obi-Wan said neutrally, adjusting some of the levers on the control panel of his bike. “Perhaps I should have seen it earlier.”

Anakin stared at him. It wasn’t praise, exactly, but in a way it was better. “Are you going to talk to the Council? What kind of assignments do you think, Master?”

Obi-Wan smiled at him. “Patience. We are still on our holiday. Such as it is.”

With that they took off back to the farm, Anakin wondering to himself if Eraan and Feemor had returned.

* * *

It was not til the middle of dinner that night that Eraan and Feemor appeared in the dining hall. Eraan took a seat at the end of the table, but Feemor walked to Declan and said something quietly to him. Declan scooted his chair out from the table and they went out together. Anakin watched them intently, then made to get up and go over to Eraan, but Obi-Wan’s hand on his shoulder held him down.

“Hold on. Let him get some food first.”

Anakin studied Eraan’s face, hoping to glean some information just from his friend’s expression. Eraan just looked tired, really, which wasn’t surprising. Anakin tried to catch his eye from across the table, but he didn’t look up. Anakin finished the rest of his dinner, then went to sit in front of Eraan in a recently abandoned chair.

“Hey, tell me what happened. I missed everything.”

Eraan shrugged. “You didn’t miss all that much. We took the girls back to Sorai. Turns out their own people were forced to give them up.”

Anakin frowned. It sounded like he’d missed a lot. “What do you mean?”

Eraan explained that the Sorai clan had been under coercion of a crime syndicate that was growing powerful in the sector. The clan had been complicit in assisting in poaching operations for some time in exchange for things like weapons and medicine, but the crime lords were getting bolder and had recently required the people of Sorai to conduct raids on rival clans and villages for human prisoners to be sold as slaves in the Outer Rim. There was coruption on Helia that had gone unchecked for years. When the chieftain of Sorai had refused to engage in the kidnapping and trafficking of sentients, his own children had been taken as retribution.

“Feemor said he’s going to start an investigation, and he thinks he has some good leads.” Eraan poked at his food, moving it slowly around on his plate. He seemed troubled. Maybe, Anakin thought, Feemor didn’t want him as an apprentice after all.

“What’s wrong?” Anakin couldn’t stop himself from asking.

Eraan looked up at him. “Well, nothing. I should be happy. Feemor asked me to come with him.”

“I knew it! You mean, be his padawan, right?” Anakin asked, leaning forward and making sure to keep his voice hushed.

Eraan nodded slowly, though for some reason he almost seemed to wince at the word. “It’s not official. He has to ask the Council. But he doesn’t think anything will stop him. There’s no rule against a Jedi picking an apprentice from the AgriCorps. It’s just...frowned on.”

“Well you should be happy then! Come on, let’s go for a walk.” Anakin was tired of having to keep his voice down.

They went outside and walked down the path to the river where it was a little cooler. Eraan kicked a stone into the water with his foot.

“You think I could really be a Jedi?” He asked.

“What are you talking about? You’re smart, and powerful. There’s lots of kids at the Temple who trip over their own feet during lightsaber practice, and they still get apprenticed sooner or later.”

Eraan picked up a rock and threw it in the river, not even bothering to try and skip it. “So what’s wrong with me then? Why’d they even send me here?”

Anakin shrugged. “I don’t know. But maybe it’s the only way you could meet Feemor.” No Jedi could ever argue with the “Force willed it” answer.

“Well, I hope I don’t end up a disappointment to him like I did to the crechemasters,” Eraan sighed. “I’m going to be so far behind…”

Anakin fought the urge to push him into the water. He was quickly running out of ways to help Eraan feel better about the situation, which was frustrating. This must be how Obi-Wan felt when Anakin complained too much. He suddenly felt bad.

“You just have to prove them wrong,” he said adamantly. “When I came to the Temple, I was behind everyone and didn’t know anything, practically. But in a couple years I was better at a lot than even some of the older kids.”

Eraan stood with his arms folded, staring off toward nothing in particular. “I’d miss it here.”

“You aren’t going to turn Feemor down, are you?” Anakin asked, concerned.

Eraan looked at him sharply. “How could I? Think I’d ever get a chance again?”

The stubborn look in Eraan’s eye told Anakin that he had nothing at all to worry about.


	28. Epilogue

Obi-Wan found Anakin standing on the balcony of their room, his head tilted up toward the night sky. The stars seemed particularly bright, and the familiar Utegu Nebula hung above them, almost garish with its brilliant colors splashed against the black sky. But Anakin’s eyes weren’t on the nebula, but up above it, fixed on one star only.

_ He doesn’t need me to show him where Naboo is _ , Obi-Wan thought as he joined his padawan.

Anakin turned around, leaning back on the balcony rail. “So. What’s next?”

“Next?”

“Yeah. For us.”

_ He’s got a taste for adventure now, _ Obi-Wan thought to himself ruefully. No, perhaps that was unfair. A taste for purpose. And there was nothing wrong with that. Wasn’t that the whole reason they’d come here? He reflected on Mace Windu’s words to him in the Temple, about keeping Anakin busy. Well, the past few days had definitely been just that.

Before he could reply, both Jedi turned at the sound of the front door opening. Feemor entered their quarters with Eraan trailing behind him.

“Hope we’re not interrupting anything?” Feemor asked as Anakin and Obi-Wan joined them in the living room.

“Your hair!” Anakin exclaimed, looking at Eraan with surprised delight.

Eraan folded his arms, looking self-conscious. His hair had been shorn into a more traditional padawan style, and a small braid hung behind his right ear.

“Your braid, it’s so short,” Anakin observed, holding back a laugh.

“What were they supposed to do, glue the old one back on?” Eraan grumbled good-naturedly. “They probably burned it up anyway.”

“Maybe not,” Anakin said. “Maybe the Temple Archives have some kind of museum for that kind of thing.”

“What’s that? The Museum of Disgraced Initiates?” Eraan asked.

“Now, that’s enough of that,” Feemor said, though his tone was gentle.

Eraan ducked his head, but still smiled. Obi-Wan thought he had never seen the boy look so pleased as he did now. He had Feemor would make a good team.

“You aren’t interrupting anything at all,” Obi-Wan said to Feemor. “Please sit down, both of you.”

Both pairs of masters and apprentices pulled up cushions and sat facing each other. Obi-Wan felt an unabashed joy coming from Anakin, which made him smile.

Eraan looked at Obi-Wan, his dark eyes wide and earnest. “I just wanted to say, thank you.”

“For what, young one?” Obi-Wan asked him.

“You know. For believing in me.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “I saw no reason not to. I’m only glad you came to believe in yourself.”

Eraan looked over at Anakin. “You too.”

Anakin drew himself up. “That’s right. Now you know you should listen to me. About everything.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Padawan,” Obi-Wan said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. Anakin laughed.

“The main reason we came by,” Feemor said, bringing the conversation back around to business, “is because we just had a call with a few Council members, mostly to reconfirm Eraan’s status. But they’d like to set up another meeting tomorrow with the full Council with all of us regarding the situation here, and how we can help.”

“Even me?” Anakin asked.

Feemor smiled. “Even you, Padawan.”

“Well,” Obi-Wan said, looking at Anakin. “Does that answer your question about what is next?”

Anakin beamed at him. “Yes, Master. I couldn’t have hoped for a better one.”

Obi-Wan had to admit that he felt the same way.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end! But stay tuned for Obi-Wan and Anakin's next adventures coming soon!
> 
> Thanks so much to everyone who has been following along with this story, especially those who leave comments. You don't know how much it means to me. Your encouragement gave me a lot of motivation to keep up with frequent writing and updating even when it wasn't always the easiest thing.


End file.
